Attention! I’m Speaking!

The most important factor in the listener's mind that determines if the speaker is worth listening to is not the content but the person delivering the message. Listeners answer these questions in the first few minutes of a presentation to determine the speaker’s credibility:

1. Does the speaker look and sound like a leader?
2. Does he/she appear knowledgeable?
3. Does he/she appear to be trustworthy?

One tool that I use every time I start a new client is videotape him or her presenting.  Then we view the recording together and use a five-point checklist. To increase your chances of listener attentiveness when you speak, be sure to pay attention to these five things:

1. Speech sounds conversational.
2. Vocabulary is appropriate.
3. Rate of speech is easy to listen to.
4. Nonverbal behaviors (eye contact, smile, etc.) exude confidence.
5. Points are concise and clear.