Page 62 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

11

THE CONVERSATIONAL

APPROACH

E IS FOR EAR

Make sure you speak in ordinary language. Resist the temptation to
talk in the “secret handshake” and “memo” language of your busi-
ness or discipline. The toughest three feet of your life can be simply
the transition from talking sitting down to talking standing up.
Many of us seem to speak more formally and less conversationally
on our feet than we do sitting down. In other words, we stop being
ourselves and start presenting. For most people, that stylistic differ-
ence means a marked slide in effectiveness. The trick is to be con-
sistently conversational whether sitting down or standing up.
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We are always at our best when we are ourselves, speaking
conversationally in everyday, ordinary language. Whatever barriers
exist between you and your audience can vanish when you talk the
way you normally talk.
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