This is your NEW Brain on Technology

This previous post got the conversation started on the new reality of communicating in the 21st century. Now let's look at research that supports how communication is changing because of the way our brains are being rewired.

Research shows that 10 years ago, a person's attention span was on average 12 minutes long and now, attention spans are only 5 seconds long! Other interesting stats highlighted in the Infographic "How Social Media is Ruining our Minds:"

• The average office worker checks their email inbox 30-40 times an hour which equates to nearly every 1.5 minutes  
• 25% of people surveyed forgot names of close friends and even relatives and 7% forgot their own birthdays from time-to-time
• A ULCA Study showed that just 5 hours of internet surfing can change the way our brains work

This article also highlights that our brains are being rewired to the point that some brains now compare to the brains of those who have addictions. We experience symptoms like anxiety over FOMO (fear of missing out.. it really is a diagnosed symptom now!); we have phantom vibration syndrome because of our phones; we can't sleep; we can't remember things nearly as well as we used too; and we have worse impulse control than ever before.

 

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And while research actually supports that internet can boost brain function it is of course important to remember... all in moderation. It is important as a communicator (using your passionate voice to influence those around you!) to recognize just how much our brains have changed due to technology. Because communicating in today's world is different than it was 10 years ago, knowing this can be very powerful knowledge in helping you re-adjust your communication techniques when approaching people and situations.

How much do you think your brain has changed due to use of technology?

The 'Old School' Way of Communicating ... Talking!

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It is incredible to see how communication has transformed throughout time, especially within the last  20 years. It is hard to believe that mailing letters and awaiting responses for weeks, if not months, was once considered the 'norm.' People in today's fast-paced society now find it hard to even wait the business etiquette "24 hour" time period for a response. Add on top of that, the introduction of social media, where interactions are instantaneous and people expect responses within a matter of minutes. There certainly are advantages and benefits to having this instant engagement (when you want it of course!) and when it is convenient for both parties involved in the conversation.

What is becoming more apparent though is just how valuable of an asset being able to speak and speak well is becoming. It seems like a novelty to hear someone who articulates, uses proper diction and grammar, and commands an audiences attention while sounding smart, engaging and enthusiastic. 

While technology has its many advantages, everyone can agree it has also made us lazy as a society. It is easy for people to make comments behind a computer screen yet not have the backbone or talent to say what they need to effectively in front of an audience in-person. Technology has made acronyms the 'norm' as we try and squeeze every bit of space we can out of 140-characters. This has led to improper use of the English language.. and really, what is grammar anymore? We now are use to seeing people write and even talk in slang leading for akward interactions face-to-face when we are speaking in business settings.

If there is one thing to learn, its just how rare it is to have the ability to speak well, have presence and effectively communicate both IN-PERSON and ONLINE.

Articulating your ideas and commanding an audience's attention are extremely rare skills that will become even more valuable to have as we become more reliant on technology and farther distanced from in-person interactions. Think of the people whom you've recently had interactions with.. which people left you with a favourable impression that resonated with you? What one skill did they have?

It was most likely the ability to translate their ideas from their head (or from paper, email or online) to create an impression on you face-to-face. And that, is extremely rare to find now a days!

The time and effort behind Being a good speaker

A lot of people believe that being a good speaker requires a lot of talent, time and energy. In instances where professionals want to be a paid speaker or have to do speaking on a full-time basis as required by their job, public speaking does require a great deal of practice and time to be the best at their craft.

BUT...

The idea of being a great speaker in your everyday job or on committees/teams you serve on does not required much time and talent to be great. What is required though is the conscious effort to try and be a good speaker whenever you open your mouth. Perhaps because of our more casual and relaxed society we now live in, we culturally 'speak' and 'talk' in a lot more casual manner than ever before. Online acronyms and sayings (like LOL and YOLO standing for 'Laugh out Loud' and 'You Only Live Once') seem to creep into our vocabulary and emails more than they should. People don't take the same pride in what they sound like when speaking to people in everyday life.

When speaking to anyone in any work-life ventures, keep in mind these 5 simple tips that will help you increase your presence when speaking with people...and with minimal time and effort.

1. Keep eye contact. Don't be shy. Stare into the person's soul and maintain eye contact. It will show confidence in what you are saying.
2. Speak with clarity and conviction. Tone is everything. By simply stating what you are saying with authority and by speaking firmly, it removes doubt from your voice and adds confidence in what you are saying. Never end sentences with questions or trail off with what you are saying.
3. Use language that asserts yourself. Words like "I think", "what if" "maybe" "perhaps" add doubt to what you're saying.
4. Posture can single-handily change the way someone sees you, both favourbly and unfavourably. Shoulders back, back straightly-aligned, chin down, and a relaxed/calming look on your face will take you miles. Body language speaks volumes about you as a person.
5. Don't waiver in what you are saying. Always think before you say something so you don't regret what you said and the way in which you said it. The best speakers are extremely crafted in what they say.. that is half the battle... knowing what is the right thing to say, at the right time, and in the right manner/tone for the intended audience.

The Recipe for What Makes You a Memorable Speaker

There are people out there who believe just because they open their mouth that they can speak well. The reality is that only a select few people are ACTUALLY great at speaking in front of people or large audiences. Like being good at a sport or the art of writing or drawing... it is a craft. Not everyone is a naturally-gifted speaker and while you certainly can learn to become a great speaker; it takes time, practice, patience, and self awareness to become a memorable speaker.

I often get asked after I speak, just what are the elements of being a good speaker that I've either learned or applied to my craft. There isn't a "one shoe fits all" recipe or formula that works for everyone and its not like you can go to school to major in speech training or public speaking! BUT there certainly are elements that all great speakers seem to have. Here are the 10 ingredients needed if you want to speak influentially to anyone, whether it be in person one-on-one or publicly in front of a crowd:

The Recipe for Being a Memorable Speaker

1. Voice tone and pitch. Some speakers just naturally have soothing voices to listen too. Their pitch isn't high and they are able to vary their tone to make what their saying extremely interesting. Speaker's voices are their calling card.. as soon as you hear their voice you should want to stop and listen because you are engaged. Some people have extremely recognizable voices that people always enjoy listening too and can easily identify. Recognize this well-known actor/ narrator in this commercial?
2. Body language. As I blogged about last week, impressions are influenced by 93% non-verbal communication. What are you saying with your actions (or what aren't you saying?) Do you animate how you speak by using hand motions to engage your audience? You must in order to add another element to keep your audience listening and to make it fun!
3. Storytelling. Your ability to "tell" the story will be one, if not the most important factor in being a memorable speaker. You can have the best content but if you can't deliver, you've failed! The selection of words, how you say those words, and the way you tell/explain your story or idea is vital to how much people will enjoy you.
4. Content. The other half of the public speaking equation to complement delivery is content. This is probably the most challenging part of speaking (at least for me anyways). How do you tailor your content to your specific audience so you aren't talking too high-level or too in-depth for them. How do you talk about something serious but make it interesting (and sometimes funny) for those listening. It takes years of practice to hone in the skill of creating killer content when speaking!
5. Humour. Nothing is better when a speaker makes fun of themselves or make jokes (that don't seem too placed!) that put the audience at ease. It not only relaxes the audience but it relaxes the speaker too, making them seem more confident in what they're sharing. And of course, its always enjoyable to watch someone who looks like they're having fun :)
6. Authenticity. The best part about listening to someone speak is hearing about who they are and how unique they are whether in their background or their ideas. Speakers should never "model" themselves after anyone else. Back to my idea that I shared with the Aggie graduates, don't be cookie cutter. Always be aware of who you are; how unique your story is.. that is what people want to hear.. YOUR story!
7. Eye-Appealing. Speaking is about the total package. I'm sure you'd be shocked if someone with a fantastic voice didn't have the rest of the package to match. This includes having the total package of dressing appropriately, using body language, and having presence so you really own and command the stage.
8. Thought-Provoking. The best speakers challenge the audience to think differently than they thought before coming into the speech or presentation. No one said speaking was easy...the best speakers are the ones that say what everyone is thinking, but in a very politic and constructive way (for the most part anyways!)
9. Organized & Prepared. There is no other rule more simple for a speaker to follow then to be organized and prepared. Organized in knowing your content/powerpoint slides and knowing where you're going to take the presentation with the audience in tow. Of course, the other part to being "prepared" as a speaker is being able to handle all the things that come your way unexpected and unplanned. Handle these situations calmly and your audience will notice!
   
10. Value. And the end of the day, when people listen to a speaker, they want to have a take away message that they learned from you. Whether it is 1 piece of information or 3 key messages, leave your audience with something valuable so they see you as a memorable speaker! I guarantee you will be asked to speak again if your audience continues to see and get value from what you're saying.

What other ingredients do you believe are needed for the recipe of a memorable speaker?

Helpful Tips: Speech Writing Development

I recently visited my alma mater at the University of Guelph to attend a class that I took while I was a University student... but this time, as a Guest Speaker. It was a surreal feeling to be returning to a class to share advice and tips on public speaking writing and delivery knowing that years ago I was sitting in those same exact seats. This class in particular really helped me develop and enhance my communication skills and helped me realized the importance of communicating at the most basic levels. It also led me to realize that the communications field was what I wanted to pursue post-graduation.

The students I visited were extremely keen and had many great, loaded questions to ask to help them prepare for their upcoming speech writing/giving exercise that the prof had tasked them with. I returned to share tips and pointers since I did this exact same exercise only a few short years ago, going on to win the Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture competition with the speech I had been asked to write and deliver in class. The CYSA competition is a national public speaking competition; providing a fantastic platform for youth in agriculture wanting to share their views.. I am still to this day extremely honoured to have won the competition.

The biggest lesson I shared with the class during my time spent on content and speech development was "don't write a speech with content that you believe the audience wants to hear.. write something that you believe the audience NEEDS to hear!"

With this in mind, I broke down the speech writing process into to the following 10 pointers to help them begin to build their speeches:

1. Choose a topic that you can easily speak on and that you are extremely passionate about.. that sets the foundation for a fantastic speech. It makes the entire process easier.
2. Start your speech with a strong and dramatic introduction.
3. Be sure to address the judges/audience/crowd/honoured guests depending on what type of speech you are giving.
4. Outline 3 strong arguments to support your speech topic.
5. Make sure to be realistic in bringing forward the truth surrounding your topic. If there are problems/issues relating to your topic, bring them forward, BUT counter-balance those with SOLUTIONS to those problems if there are any. 
6. Make sure to add your personal touch by adding personal thoughts, feelings, opinions, and stories relating you to the topic. These type of stories are what will resonate the most with the audience.
7. Close to the end of your speech, be sure to wrap up the ideas you talked about and sum up the arguments you brought forward.
8. End with an extremely strong finish/conclusion by leaving the crowd with a call to action or making them feel as though they want to be a part of your movement by going out and making a difference. At least arm the audience with ideas in your speech about HOW they could get involved in your cause to make a difference.
9. Be sure to say thank you at the conclusion of your speech so you can show your sincere appreciation for the audience being attentative.
10. Once you have a fantastic speech written, now it is all about practicing DELIVERY so you can ensure you deliver the best written speech ever. Now go on and practice! 

Venues to Help Practice your Speaking Abilities

If you believe that a stage or a podium is where you want to share your passionate voice with a crowd of people, then hats off to you! You are a small minority of people who do not have "glossophobia"-- the fear of public speaking. The stats support that people would prefer to die then get up on stage and public speak! Outrageous, I know. Especially shocking for someone like myself who loves to share and communicate with people on a public stage and believes that it really is a great forum to share your story and views!

But it is true. Not everyone likes to embrace the stage and speak in front of others. And that is OK. We all can't be public speakers. But, I do like to tell people that public speakers aren't necessarily naturally born. It is a skill that can be learned, tweaked, and acquired over time. The best speakers learn from other speakers and make their own take on speech giving and presenting.

I had a question recently from a young gentleman who asked how at his age (approximately 22), he can find venues to help practice his public speaking skills to continue to practice and become a better public speaker. Great question.. here are some ideas I shared with him:

• give a speech in front of your family- they'll be your best (and worst!) critics
• group of friends, peers, or classmates-- it may be the most nervous you'll ever be because you'll be worried about what they think, but they'll provide real, honest feedback for you to use
• a Rotary club, legion, organized group/committee that hosts speakers often-- just offer your services and they most likely would love to have you come speak. Especially if you are not charging a fee and are just trying to practice your craft-- most groups love to hear about any topic!
• THE MIRROR- I emphasized this one in capitals because there is no one better to provide feedback then watching YOURSELF present. You can easily study how you look; your facial expressions; your body language, and any other little quirks. No one else can help you more than watching yourself to see what you like (& don't like) about how you present and give speeches and what you can work to improve on. The next step is videotaping yourself giving an entire presentation so you can sit down and analyze your full performance to really tweak and tailor your performance to just how you like it.

What other venues would you suggest to beginner public speakers or people wanting to practice their craft of sharing their passionate voice?