Great Communicators in action

Have you ever seen a great communicator in action? They seem to be able to talk to anyone on any topic and everyone they speak with enjoys the conversation. These great communicators use their verbal charisma to open doors to all manner of opportunity; business, career, social, or whatever else they set their mind on. Ever wondered how they do it? They use what I call the Secret Weapon of Great Communicators.

You may be wondering what this secret weapon is and how you could be using it to your advantage. I have good news for you. The secret weapon is something that you can use to rapidly open doors in your own life and it is easily learned.

The secret weapon consists of several components, the first of which is to develop the habit of taking a genuine interest in other people. Once you do this you will discover that most people are interesting in one way or another. Some have had interesting experiences in their life, others have a fascinating job or hobby, still others have thought provoking theories or knowledge. If you approach others with genuine interest and an open mind you may be amazed at how rewarding it can be.

The second component of the secret weapon is to develop the skill of leading with questions.

Listen to average people in conversation and you will soon notice that they speak in statements. The most common statements you will hear from a speaker are those that are complimentary to themselves and those that are critical of others. However if you listen to a good communicator you will find they he or she asks a lot more questions. They understand that the person who asks the questions controls the direction of the conversation.

The third component is to actively listen to what the other person is saying. Have you ever watched people in conversation? It is a great way to learn what works and what doesn't. My father taught me that if you take the time to observe a person in conversation then you will discover a great deal about who they are and what makes them tic. I discovered that you can also learn a lot about their listening skills, or lack of them as is more often the case.

Most listeners are not fully focused in the present moment so they miss what is being said. Perhaps their mind is wandering to something that happened earlier of to something that they are going to do later. If they are really bad communicators then they are probably focusing on what they are going to say next and not hearing a word of what the other person is saying.

A good listener focuses on what is being said and they do two things to let the other person know that they are listening. Firstly they ask questions that allow the other person to expand on what they are saying and secondly they make reinforcing statements.

Developing the three components that constitute the great communicators secret weapon will help you build a powerful network of contacts who will be happy to help you achieve your goals. You may be amazed at just how many great opportunities will open to you. It is well worth the effort.