Bad Habits Stopping You From Being A Great Communicator

We all have bad habits. These tendencies can make use look bad, weak and messy. Bad habits can especially hurt us when we are in important meetings or speaking to large groups. You may not be aware of the habits that are keeping you from being a great communicator. This article will establish the top three bad habits you should break from, with some tips on how to improve them.

Bad Habits Stopping You From Being A Great Communicator

Presentation Bad Habits

Sharing Complex Messages

Presentations can sometimes rely too much on showing all the data instead of sharing what it all means. In communication expert Melissa Marshall’s TED Talk, she encourages everyone presenting complex data to make it relatable. She suggests simply explaining the step-by-step process on how you got the data, and tell the story of why this data is so important. Instead of assuming your audience will pick up on all the insights, lay it out for them. Dropping this bad habit of sharing complex messages will help you become a great communicator.

Related Post: How To Tell Stories With Data

Always Being Right

You should be the expert in your presentation topic. But that doesn’t mean you should shut off outsiders from sharing their thoughts. When an audience member is wanting to debate or question you, you should welcome it polity and not interrupt. TED contributor Julian Treasure interruptions are becoming more common in our impatient world. We can sometimes shut out new ideas in the fear of being wrong. Treasure says you have the right to defend your work, but you could also miss a valuable new idea that could make your work even better. A closed mind is a bad habit. Break it by allowing your audience to discuss with you their ideas and feedback.

Making Everybody Happy

People pleasers come with good intentions but lack authenticity. This can cause a disconnect with your presentation audience. “If someone is — or is perceived to be — driven by people-pleasing, it robs their speech of power,” Treasure says. “Honesty and authenticity are absent, and these are key foundations for strong communication.” The cure for this bad habit is take a deeper look at yourself. Treasure says ask yourself what do you stand for, what’s non-negotiable in your life. Writing down your answers will help you discover your values. This process will put you in the right direction for becoming a great communicator.

Don’t let the bad habits get you down! Instead, focus on changing how you tell stories, communicate with your audience and stay true to yourself. Use these tips to be a great communicator who can share a message with every audience.

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