“First brain is the secret of believability, essential to effective,
persuasive communication. First brain is our emotional brain. Understand
it, and you will connect in your communications. You will have emotional
contact with your listeners.”
--Bert Decker
You’ve Got To Be Believed To Be Heard
My diverse communication background ranges from high school newspaper
editor and class graduation speaker, sportswriter for The Atlanta
Constitution, staff writer for the Associated Press, Marine sergeant,
and church leader…to salesman, sales manager, president of the National
Speakers Association-Georgia, author, professional speaker, and small
business owner.
So what have I learned during this 45-year period? Regardless of how
we communicate, it’s crucial to connect with people for optimal
results. And how do we connect with people at the deepest level? Here’s
a four-part formula I’ve tried to use over the years:
- Laughing – I’m no stand-up comic and
I don’t bill myself as a humorist, but I’ve learned that
people love to laugh. Through much trial and error, I’ve developed
a lot of funny stories that spice up my openings, key points, and closings.
By sprinkling in lighter moments, my clients tell me I’ve become
a more effective communicator.
- Listening – When people laugh, they listen
better. When an audience listens attentively, they tend to nod in agreement,
take notes, ask questions, and be involved. Involvement is what makes
learning possible, and learning requires good listening skills.
- Learning – Obviously, good listeners tend
to learn more. Since we live in the information age, learning is essential
for ongoing personal growth and professional development. There should
be no tolerance for know-it-alls within an organization committed to
worker retention and people advancement.
- Leveraging – If laughing produces better listeners,
and attentive listening leads to greater learning, then what? People
need to leverage their learning through concentrated application or
it’s an exercise in futility. In short, focus (how you apply what
you know) is more important than facts (what you know).
Therefore, every keynote I deliver, every seminar I conduct, and every
book or training resource I write is geared towards the application of
knowledge. What are you going to do with what you’ve learned? As
a result, I’m known for the following quote:
“The greatest gap in life is the one between knowing and doing.”
Burn Brightly Without Burning Out, by Richard K. Biggs
It’s also why I usually pass out Action Plan Cards near
the end of a program. Participants are asked to write down their top three
ideas. There’s also a place to list the deadline for completion
and the impact such action produces. Embossed across the card in gray
letters are these two words: Do It! And at the bottom of the
card is this provocative quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“What I most need is someone or something to get me to do what
I already know how to do and what I’ve already said I wanted to
do.”
If I can say the something or be the someone who causes
people to take action, I’m making a difference as a communicator
and connecting at the emotional level Bert Decker refers to in his book.
If you and your organization would like to learn more about communication
and teamwork, please e-mail
or call Dick Biggs at (770) 886-3035 for more information.
Home
