Speaking Strategies To Capture Listeners

When you are speaking it is important to also listen.  Here are 12 speaking strategies for staying focused and keeping your listeners attention while you are their focus.

12 Proven Strategies to Stay Focused When Speaking from the Platform

Whether you’re presenting to an audience, participating in a sales call or facilitating a meeting, if you struggle with active listening, chances are you’re missing opportunities that can advance your career. In a normal day, we all listen nearly twice as much as we speak and four to five times as much as we read and write (Rivers, 1981). The challenge for all of us is being 100% present throughout the day, being present in the moment to capture key points and ideas as a result of listening.

To test your own listening efficiency, think about how often you ask someone to repeat information, or how many times someone has said to you, “You’re not listening to me.” This occurs more than you might think, because most people only listen for the first three to four seconds of a conversation. After that, they’re formulating a response. No, it’s not just you!

Try these 12 proven strategies to stay focused:
1. Make solid eye contact and keep it. This shows your listener you’re really listening and helps you stay centered on what’s being communicated.

2. Pay attention to your listener’s body language. If they’re looking at you versus away from you, there’s a greater chance they’re interested in what you have to say-and will hear your message and be more open to the information. As a result, you increase the probability they’ll take the action you desire.

3. Is your listener walking away from you or crossing arms? Both of these behaviors are “closed” and communicate that your listener is unapproachable or in disagreement. Involve your listener in the conversation by asking an open-ended question that communicates you’re sincere and invites their participation.

4. Pause before answering. This encourages your listener to provide you with additional information and gives you an opportunity to “think on your feet.”

5. Listen for changes in your listener’s tone of voice, inflection, or volume. If the voice has more inflection, they’re communicating a positive response to your message. If your listener’s voice increases in volume or carries a harsh tone, listen and then respond with a softer volume and tone.

6. Listen for key ideas and facts. When your listener touches on something you want to know more about, simply repeat the statement as a question.

7. Summarize and paraphrase key points periodically to guarantee you’re hearing and understanding your listener’s words. Say, “If I understand you correctly…,” or “So what I hear you saying is…”

8. Be patient and avoid interrupting, even though you may believe what your listener is saying is wrong or irrelevant. Indicate simple acceptance, not necessarily agreement, by nodding or perhaps injecting an occasional “I see.”

9. Briefly and accurately acknowledge your listener’s concerns, frustrations, and challenges. Without acknowledgment, they’ll continue to focus on the emotion versus the issue being discussed. Say, “I can imagine you must feel…” or “I get the impression you’re unhappy about… “.

10. Don’t get emotionally involved. Avoid expressing your own personal views, because they may influence or inhibit what your listener says. Try simply to understand their concerns first and defer evaluation until later.

11. Encourage your listener to provide additional information with phrases such as, “Tell me more” or “As I understand it, what you’re saying is….”

12. “Listen” for what isn’t said. You’ll gain valuable information via your intuition. For example, your listener may say, “This solution is not negotiable; how will I afford it?” Your response may be, “So you’re concerned about how much this will cost you. Let me share with you some options.”

This speaking strategy article has been presented to you by:

Stacey Hanke of 1st Impression Consulting, Inc., focuses on changing communication behavior. She has coached over 4000 individuals worldwide how to enhance their ability to connect, engage and influence others to take action. Stacey is co-author of the book titled “Conversations on Success” and has a lengthy Fortune 500 client list. Visit her at www.staceyhanke.com to learn about how she can add value to your development.

I hope you’ve found this article on speaking strategies to keep your listeners attentive useful.

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