How often do you take the time to practice your communication skills? If you’re like most people, the answer is probably, “not enough!” One of the most common problems with communication training is making progress that transfers over to everyday communication. All too often, people who make excellent progress during formal training sessions have trouble applying their new skills in their day-to-day life.
So what’s the secret to making progress that actually sticks? Practice! Like most skills, if you don’t practice speech and communication strategies regularly, your brain and body won’t become fully accustomed to your new skills, and you won’t be able to apply them when you need them most. If finding regular, structured practice time seems impossible with your busy schedule, fear not! There are plenty of ways to seamlessly fit practice into your daily life. Check out our suggestions below!
- Practice your strategies when you order at a restaurant or coffee shop. Take the time when you are waiting or standing in line to decide on the speech skills you would like to focus on, then speak as clearly and concisely as possible to your server as you order.
- Reading out loud is a great opportunity to practice—since you don’t have to think about the content, you can put your full energy into your speech. One great opportunity to practice is reading to your children. Not only is it an excellent opportunity to focus on your skills, but your kids will love how the extra effort makes the story come to life!
- Take advantage of opportunities for public speaking in your personal and professional life. Whether it’s presenting your ideas in a meeting at work, speaking at a PTA meeting or simply telling a story to a group of friends at a party, use each opportunity for public speaking as a chance to improve your skills.
- Leave notes to yourself in places that you will come across them regularly to remind you to focus on your speech. A simple post-it note on your telephone that says, “Slow down!”, “Speak clearly”, or “Breathe!” can do wonders for helping you to integrate your goals into your day-to-day speech.
If you are looking to polish your communication skills be sure to pick up a free copy of my e-book “Communicate with Clarity and Confidence!” by subscribing to our newsletter community on our website. For additional information call us at 212-308-7725 or send us an e-mail at jayne@corporatespeechsolutions.com to learn more. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!