You might be surprised how many people are not good at talking. I believe you have been in a conversation that that other person just go on and on and on and still don’t get to the point. It happens not just in casual conversation but also in professional setting, like a hours-long corporate meeting. As a design consultant and design coach, I found this problem is prevalent in first time meeting with C-level managers or entrepreneurs: You speak out loud whatever is in your mind without organizing in a way that others can understand. It’s frustrating for a listener, and it’s wasting everyone’s time.
To help you to communicate more effectively (so you can get funded) or help others to understand what’s in your mind, let’s take a look of some basic rules:
Structure your thoughts before you talk
Pretty basic rule but everyone forget - WHAT, WHO, WHY, HOW, WHERE. Keep every subject one or two sentences. Make a list of what you want to cover in the conversation and re-arrange the order in a logical way. Same rules when you’re writing an email or make a presentation.
Straight to the point
What do you want from this conversation? I’m usually very clear about the purpose of conversation at the beginning and make sure both are on the same page. I usually keep the greeting and casual chat very short. There’s other time and place we can chit-chat. Please don’t overwhelm a person just met you with trivial details. No one cares. If the other person wants to know more any specific details, he/she will ask.
Don’t make assumption
Don’t assume what people know. They don’t live in your mind so please make your points as clear as possible, with the simplest language. (Of course, the level of language depends on who you’re talking to. )
No acronym
Some business people like to use acronyms that other people don’t really use. And some of them are even self-made. It’s the best way to confuse people or scare them away. Of course there are some exceptions to use acronym - if you know your listeners already know it, or confirm with them if they understand it.
Make sure your listeners are still following you
Sometimes people go on and on and on… and listener already zone out and they don’t even realize it. Take breaks often and confirm with your listeners if they need more clarification.
people lose their interests faster than you think
It’s human nature that our attention is toward to our needs first. If what you’re saying is boring, your listener’s mind will inevitably wander… “what should I eat later?” “Hmmm… do I need to do the laundry tonight?” It doesn’t matter what your social status is. If you are not good at communicating, you lose your audience. Keep in mind that everyone’s time is precious, even your employees. You might pay your employees to sit there listening, but their mind is not obligated to be there.
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If the person you’re talking to has the problems listed above, you should politely interrupt him/her and ask the questions that guide him/her back to the track. Of course, in some circumstances (like corporate meetings) you can’t do that to higher managers. But maybe you can forward this article to them. ;)