“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
― George Bernard Shaw

A great communicator is defined as one who effortlessly influences others to willingly go along with their thoughts, ideas and suggestions.

Skilled communicators share many common traits but there are none that play a greater role in the great communicators success than their ability to sway others and win over their confidence and support.

It is said that in ancient times there were two great orators: Cicero and Demosthenes. The fable of these two tells us that when Cicero spoke, the crowds were enthralled. They yelled. They cheered. They danced. They applauded.

But when Demosthenes spoke, the crowds rose as one and chanted, “Let us march.”

Good communicators present information their audience finds interesting and entertaining. Gifted leaders are great communicators who have mastered the art of building rapport with many, exhibiting great flexibility in their messaging, stirring the emotions of their followers and impacting others in ways that compel them to take action.

Albert Mehrabian taught us that, in terms of impact, only 7% of our communication is affected by the words we use while 38% is influenced by the tone of our voices and 55% by our behavior.

Successful communicators have learned mastery in their choice of the words they use while simultaneously being acutely aware of the impact their voice tones and behavior is having on others.

They say that in any interaction, success always lands in the corner of the person who exhibits the greatest flexibility, i.e. the person who recognizes that what they are doing is not producing results they desire and then immediately adopts a different approach.

One of my early forays into the world of business ownership was to start a company delivering seminars on the nuances of behavioral communication.

Neuro Linguistic Programming

I delivered hundreds of workshops largely based on the teachings of Neuro Linguistic Programming,to corporations large and small, government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. For several years I also conducted weekly seminars that were open to anyone who wanted to attend.

Much of what I learned during those years form the foundation of both the coaching and corporate work I do today and many of the participants in my recent programs have asked me to conduct those types of seminars once again.

Under the title “Behaviours of Influence” I will be delivering a one-day seminar next Wednesday, November 6 at a local venue in Calgary. I have spent much time preparing the curriculum for this event and am excited about the opportunity of delivering these workshops again.

This is going to be a fun-filled, information-packed, highly interactive day of learning. There are just a few seats left and if you would like to participate, you can register here.

If you prefer, you can call our Strategic Pathways Events Line at 403 802 3477 if you would like to register or if you wish any additional information about this upcoming workshop. You can also email us at tellmemore@strategicpathways.net

I promise you a high-energy day filled with laughter and learning.

And I’ll even throw in lunch.

That’s plenty of food for thought.

Till we read again.