Turn the Communication Switch "On" by Steve Adubato, Ph.D.

I was recently conducting a seminar on presentation skills for a group of corporate executives. Our goal was to help participants become more persuasive and compelling communicators. Everyone had their own style, yet, one problem that virtually everyone faced was a “lack of energy” in how they were presenting. Frankly, they were flat. They were talking, but they weren’t really communicating, much less connecting with their audience.

I tried a different approach to mix things up. As Bob, a 25-year manager in his company, was doing his “mock” presentation trying to convince his colleagues to take a particular action I said; “Hold it, Bob. I want you to pick up your energy level.” “What?, he asked.” I responded, “Turn the switch to the ‘on’ position. Tell us why you care so much about this and what’s going to happen if we don’t follow you. Why is it so important to do…?”

As Bob picked up his presentation, immediately Bob’s voice rose and he started varying his pitch. He began using his hands, which were previously clasped behind his back. His face became more animated and expressive and he started moving closer to his audience. There was a sense of urgency that had been missing in his presentation. The audience responded in-kind. Some sat up, their eyes wide open. Others stopped playing with their Blackberries and focused on Bob. After a minute or so, he concluded by saying, “So that’s it. We really have to do this and I’m confident we will do it together. Thank you.” All of his colleagues applauded enthusiastically. Now for some questions.

Q—Isn’t it true that some communicators are just naturally more expressive and animated than others?

A—Yes, but the bigger issue is that many of those who say, “It’s just not me to be so expressive,” underestimate their communication potential. The biggest reason for this is that what we think of as our “public personality” is underdeveloped. We don’t know what our potential is as communicators. We haven’t been trained to “turn the switch” and “pick up our energy” when presenting. This causes us to present in a flat, monotone fashion because we are largely unaware of how we are projecting ourselves, much less, what to do about it.

Q—But can’t a presenter turn his or her own energy level up when communicating without some sort of coach?

A—In theory, yes; in practice, rarely. Doing this would require the awareness to see that we are boring our audience to tears and the ability to say to yourself, “Hey, what’s wrong with me? Why am I so flat? I’m not connecting at all. I better pick it up a level because I really care about this.”

Q—Thinking like this is one thing, but actually acting on it is quite another. How do you do that?

A—Once you develop this level of awareness it helps you monitor the chemistry between you and your audience. There are some stock phrases you can build into all of your communication, particularly when trying to persuade and move others. Some of these phrases include the following; “We must do this because…” or “If we don’t do this…” or “You ask why I care so much? I’ll tell you why…”

When using these phrases, it forces us to raise the bar for how we communicate. It creates a sense of urgency that would otherwise not exist. It makes us think about the consequences of inaction and helps us tap into our passion and commitment to a particular cause or issue. If we don’t do these things, we go on communication “auto pilot,” which is bound to produce more forgettable presentations and uninspiring meetings and conference calls. In such a competitive business environment, can we really afford to communicate in such a blasé fashion?

How do you turn your energy up when presenting? Write to me.

Dr. Steve Adubato coaches and speaks on the subjects of communication and leadership and is the author of the book "Speak from the Heart." Write to him at The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102, or click here to contact him through this web site.