“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." -- Neil Gaiman (PAR G.K. Chesterton) When you think of a story, what comes to mind? Is it a favorite childhood tale, a recent book you read, or a movie you watched? Maybe it's someone else's real-life experience that was shared with you or your experience that you share with another? Whatever it is that comes to mind, how has that story impacted you? Did it make you think? Touch your emotions? Broaden your understanding of the world and its inhabitants? Open your eyes to something about yourself? For those who know me even a little, you know that I love stories. Every movie I watch or book I read or story I hear opens a door to a new perspective, idea, or experience that I may have never had within the confines of my own life. Stories are powerful because the reveal truths about the world and ourselves that we may be otherwise closed to. As such, storytelling is an essential part of effective communication. They help us process information in new ways, trigger our emotions, warn us of unseen follies, inspire us to greater heights, connect us with others, spur us to action, and grab our attention. "Great storytellers become the best salespeople, the most memorable leaders, the most engaging speakers, the best mentors, and the teachers we will remember for a lifetime." So how can you embrace the Law of Storytelling and win the hearts of your audience? 1. Remember Your Humanity Every story has a main character; this can be anyone or anything, but as a story-telling-communicator it is your job to help your audience identify with that character. During an interview, poet and author Maya Angelou was asked how to create a compelling story and replied with the words of a Roman dramatist, "I am a human being. Nothing human can be alien to me." Then she went on to say, "If you know that, accept that, then you can tell a story. You can make people believe characters are just like they are. Human beings should understand how others humans feel no matter where they are, no matter what their language or culture is, no matter their age, and no matter the age in which they live. If you develop the art of seeing us as more alike than we are unlike, then all stories are understandable." "Stories transport us into another world. They hold our attention. They become remarkable vehicles for the communication of truth and meaningful lessons that cannot be easily forgotten." -- Chuck Swindoll 2. Hone Your Craft As you develop as a communicator and a storyteller, John Maxwell identifies nine characteristics effective storytellers exemplify: Enthusiasm: They love what they do and it's obvious. Animation: They embrace the Law of Visual Expression through facial expressions, movement, and gestures. Audience Participation: They ask the audience to become a part of the story in some way (i.e., singing, clapping, repetition, mimicking gestures, etc.) Responsiveness: They engage with the audience freely. Memory: They speak from memory so they can maintain eye contact with their audience. Laughter: They use well-placed humor to lower defenses. Creativity: They use fresh perspectives even when communicating classic themes. Immediacy: They tell most of their stories in the first person. Heartwarming: They left the audience feeling good. 3. S.H.A.R.E. "You can use stories for any purpose: to prove a point, illustrate an idea, teach a process, break the tension, or move your audience emotionally." Show: What do you want your audience to see and hear? Help: How will telling the story help your audience? Amplify: What do you want your audience to imagine? Relate: What do you want your audience to feel? Enjoy: How can you make the story fun and unforgettable? This week, answer these questions: What is it about stories that resonate most with you? Does your communication incorporate those elements? How can you utilize storytelling the next time you have a message to share?

“The soul does not think without a picture." -- Aristotle Remember when you were a kid, and it was your turn to do Show and Tell? Whether you liked getting up in front of the class or not (I did not), there was something special about being allowed to bring your favorite thing to school to show off to everyone else, and they were usually really excited to see what you brought too. We lost something of this as we grew up and were no longer able to bring our favorite stuffed animal, the baseball your dad got signed for you, your pet lizard, or a trinket from your trip to Disney World. We lost the excitement of communicating, and our audience has lost the thrill of seeing what special thing we have to share. This is a problem for our communication because most people are visual learners (about 60%), meaning that when we hear a word, we don't think of the letters that make that word, but the image that identifies or resonates with that word. In addition to this, images stick in our minds to aid our memory, tug our heartstrings, process information, and spark our imaginations. Now maybe you can't bring your pet or toy to the boardroom, the construction site, the office, or wherever you go now instead of your 2nd grade class, but you still have the power to engage your audience with visual cues because show and tell is better than just tell; that's the Law of Visual Expression. According to John C. Maxwell, there are three main ways you can improve your communication through visual expression. 1. Body Movement, Gestures, and Facial Expressions "The first visual aid you need to employ as a communicator is your body. If you want to become a better communicator, you must do more than speak from the neck up." While this may seem simple, it takes intentionality to draw your audience in through your body movement. Research shows that 55% of our communication is visual body cues such as facial expressions, crossing your arms, talking with your hands, your stance or movement while talking, etc. If you want to engage your audience, here are some examples to consider: Smile at them (it's a universal language of appreciation) Lean closer to them when you have something important to say (like you're about to tell them a secret) Use your fingers to count your points Take strategic steps across your "stage" to mark the movement of time (i.e., one step to the side for each "then this happened") Exaggerate your facial expressions for things like shock, worry, and excitement to "perform" the story But these visual expressions must be in alignment with your words, or you will distract or undermine your message. 2. Word Pictures If a picture is worth a thousand words, but you don't have a picture to show, paint it with your words. "Word pictures engage both hemispheres of our brains and bring us to greater levels of understanding and involvement." An example of this can be found at the top of this writing: "Remember when you were a kid, and it was your turn to do Show and Tell?" Everyone should be able to picture what being a kid is, and unless you had an unusual educational experience, you can probably picture your own Show and Tell experience or that of another child. You can also paint word pictures with the use of metaphors and similes. She has a heart of gold. He was always a night owl. My siblings fight like cats and dogs. My boss tells stories like a hummingbird. "If you communicate an idea in a way that resonates, change will happen, and you can change the world." -- Nancy Duarte 3. Pictures, Props, and Videos Last, but not least, you can also use physical or digital images, props, or videos to engage your audience. Research shows that "just three hours after a presentation, 85& of the audience can remember content presented visually versus 70% who can retain verbal content. But after three days, 60% can still remember the visual content, whereas only 10% can remember something from the oral presentation." Examples of these visual expressions may include: Relevant photos or drawings Props (i.e., someone communicating about window shutters could have a shutter present to use during the message) A flip chart that you write on with markers Relevant video clips "People want to be engaged and entertained, now more than ever. They crave and expect multisensory experiences. The more you can do visually, the more most people will like it -- and the better communicator you will become." This week, answer these questions: Which of these three methods resonates the most with you? How can you incorporate visual expression into your next communication?

“The height of sophistication is simplicity." -- Clare Boothe Luce Recently, I came across two educators lecturing on the same topic. As I watched the video for each of their sessions, it was obvious that, while both were brilliant, knowledgeable individuals, only one was a communicator. It all boiled down to the level of ease by which I (and the live audience) could understand their main points and supporting materials. One read his lecture from his notes, which the audience silently absorbed, while the other cracked jokes between mind-blowing details that engaged his audience. Today's communication law is the Law of Simplicity. I have to confess that because I am an educated, well-read learner, I have a vibrant vocabulary and a deep well of facts and theories swirling around in my head. I have to be very intentional in communication to connect with my audience. As John Maxwell says, "No matter your audience -- whether they're farmers, entrepreneurs, parents, managers, service industry workers, technicians, voters, artists, or students -- they want to be engaged. They want to understand you easily and be able to do something positive with what you tell them." Three Stages of Communication Simplistic "Being simplistic is ignoring the genuine complexity of a problem or situation and offering a too-easy solution." Being simplistic in our communications indicates that we haven't taken the time to think about our topic or find a good answer. Often, our communication comes out in cliches or oversimplified phrases that are neither helpful nor meaningful to our audience. This is the first stage of any communication topic. It can be summarized as: Shallow and fast Asks no questions Embraces popular thought Offers ineffective solutions Complex Most topics that we communicate on are, at their core, complex, and it takes a lot of thought and hard work to ask questions, decipher information, and formulate ideas. But unless your audience has done all this work with you, it will likely be tough for them to follow your communication if it remains at this stage. "Working hard to get below the simplistic and wrestle with the complex takes time and energy. But the reward is wonderful. Having a eureka moment of understanding is fantastic. Taking that eureka and expressing it simply is even more rewarding." This stage can be summarized as: Deep and slow Asks many questions Embraces sustained thought Offers complicated solutions Simple "The reward for digging into complex problems and ideas and coming out the other side with a simple way to express them is turning muddled teaching into crystal clear communication." If you put in the effort to work through the complex stage, you will have answers to your questions, different perspectives, and possibilities and be confident and focused on your topic. This is the stage where you can connect with your audience. This stage can be summarized as: Deep and fast Answers many questions Embraces proven thought Offers elegant solutions "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." -- Albert Einstein Three Goals of Communication Not everyone is willing to create simple communication, but if you want to be a great communicator, you will need to put in the hard work of this law. To help you learn to simplify your message, your communication should achieve these three goals. Clarity "Your first goal as you prepare to communicate is to make what you say crystal clear." This clarity should come in the form of: Clear information: you've done your homework and know your material inside and out; you're not afraid of unexpected questions. Clear structure: your communication should be like a road map, taking your audience on a journey, not a bungee jump. Clear language: as C.S. Lewis once wrote, "If you cannot translate your thoughts into uneducated language, then your thoughts were too confused." Brevity "It's not the number of words you use; it's the impact you make with the words you use." Selecting the right words to keep your communication clear and concise takes hard work. But you'll find that if you can achieve this goal effectively, your audience will stay engaged and remember your message. Focus "Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful." When you are communicating in a short and sweet way for your audience, you want to make sure that you trim anything that might distract from your message, be redundant, or muddle your words. As you apply the Law of Simplicity, remember: Less is more. Clarity is power. Clear is kind. Everything must be as simple as possible. If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it. Stop trying to impress the audience. Start helping your audience. Get to your point before people start asking, "What's the point?" Say what's important over again. Say it simply, say it slowly, say it with a smile. This week, answer these questions: What is your experience with this law? How can you apply these goals to your communication?

“Anticipation is the secret sauce of communication." -- John C. Maxwell As I write this, we are exactly one week away from Christmas. I love this holiday, and every year, it's the same; I can't wait until Thanksgiving to break out the music and movies of this festive season! I want to sing about Christmas, talk about Christmas, dream about Christmas, and live Christmas every moment. Maybe it's different for you, as I know it is for many; as adults, we get so busy with our schedules and overwhelmed by our responsibilities that it's sometimes hard to hang on to that anticipation. Unfortunately, this challenge carries over into more than just our holiday spirit. This is why John Maxwell had to make it a communication law. The Law of Anticipation says that when you can't wait to say it, they can't wait to hear it. If you don't have enthusiasm and anticipation for your message, how can you expect anyone else to be excited to receive it? As communicators, it is our job "to do what we can to create a sense of anticipation and then to deliver the goods. If we succeed, and if we work to maintain that sense of anticipation, we can keep people sitting on the edge of their seats and take them with us on every step of the journey." So, how do we create this anticipation for us and our audience? Turn on Your Faucet Louis L'Amour, an extraordinary Western novelist, once advised aspiring writers to just start writing because "water does not flow until the faucet is turned on." While simple in concept, this is incredibly true for all communication methods. "If you can turn on your sense of anticipation, believing that you can do a good job and that you can help people, it will start you on a great track because anticipation is a key to self-discipline." And as your anticipation builds, so do your creativity and your ideas for your message. Which, in turn, gets you more excited about sharing your message with your audience. If you want to be a good communicator, start communicating; "don't wait for the opportunity to start getting ready. Get ready and then find an opportunity." Set the Table John Maxwell compares good communication to a fine dining experience; the way the table is set, the ambiance, and the staff help to build anticipation for the food you are about to eat. As a communicator, you have the same ability to create anticipation for your audience through your energy, posture, facial expressions, vocabulary, and phrasing! To stick with the meal metaphor, let's consider a story the actress Helen Hayes once told about the first time she cooked a turkey. She told her family, "This is the first turkey I've ever cooked. If it isn't any good, I don't want anybody to say a word. We'll just get up from the table and go out to a restaurant to eat." When she went to place the turkey on the table, her family sat there with their coats and shoes on, ready to go. "In relationships with others, most people are usually a fountain or a drain: They either refresh the life in others or they dry it up." -- Tim Elmore Be a Plus, Not a Minus As you prepare to communicate, be ready to give life, energy, and value to your audience. John loves to say that people are either a plus (+) or a minus (-) in how they relate to others. If you are a minus, most people will avoid you because you only take, but if you are a plus, people will be drawn to you with anticipation because you strive to add value to their lives. Live on the Other Side of Yes "Your expectations, more than anything else in life, determine your reality. If you expect every person, challenge, and opportunity in life to give you a 'no,' that's what you will get. If you always expect life's answers to be 'yes,' you will get them. And if you can live on the other side of 'yes,' you can experience a life that believes in nearly limitless possibilities." This week, answer these questions: What about your communication do you anticipate? How can you build anticipation in others for what you have to communicate? How do your perspective, attitude, and expectations contribute to both your anticipation and that of your audience?

“When you find your strengths, you find your voice." -- John C. Maxwell Do you know what your strengths are? When I was younger, I had given this a lot of thought, especially because it's a common interview question, but I always struggled to put my awareness into words. Often, my answer would be something like, "I pick up new things quickly, and I'm a good listener." This answer isn't wrong, but if we're talking about communication, I have no idea how these two things would help me be a better speaker or writer! About ten years ago, I was introduced to an assessment that changed my life (more on this in a few paragraphs), and now talking about strengths (mine and others) is my FAVORITE topic! This week's communication law is the Law of Leverage, which states that "good communicators lead with their strengths and use them often." John Maxwell writes, "When you find your strengths, you find your voice. From then on, your communication fits who you are. It becomes natural." But when we don't leverage our strengths, we end up just trying to fix our "weaknesses" or "shortcomings." So I ask you again, do you know what your strengths are? Connect by Leveraging Your Connection Strength Dr. Seuss once wrote, "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than you." And how true this is even in communication, as it's easy for us to attempt to communicate using someone else's methods. But when we try to communicate like someone else, either because we think they do it better or that it will be more widely received, we lose the authenticity of our message, and it will often fall flat for our audience. In the book, John identifies "four primary connection points of communication," which can help you identify your communication strength. Heart: This connection point encourages others by creating an emotional bond between yourself, your content, and your audience. This connection is about being open and vulnerable with your audience, as well as being empathetic about where they are coming from. Help: This connection point instructs others "by giving them practical tools that can improve their lives." This connection helps your audience to apply your content in a very personal way. Humor: This connection point grabs your audience by making them laugh or entertaining them. This connection is about breaking down the barriers between you and your audience by adding levity to the conversation. Hope: This connection point inspires your audience and helps them envision a better future or path forward. This connection provides them with possibilities that you can then help them achieve. Of course, you may use all of these throughout your communication, but it's likely that one or two of them is your strength, and if you lead out of what comes most naturally for you, you have a better chance of connecting with your audience. "You cannot be anything you want to be, but you can be a lot more of who you already are." -- Tom Rath Succeed by Leveraging Your Natural Talents You can level up your communication by identifying and starting with your Connection Strength, but this isn't the only natural talent you have at your disposal. Here we come to that life-changing assessment I mentioned earlier. Gallup CliftonStrengths is an invaluable tool to help individuals better understand what comes naturally to them. The assessment identifies your talents which you turn into strengths through intentional use and practice. My top five strengths are Learner, Developer, Individualization, Relator, and Responsibility. John Maxwell's top five strengths are Strategic, Maximizer, Woo, Activator, and Achiever. "Every strength can become a communication asset if you harness it for the benefit of your audience." Do you know what comes naturally to you and how you can leverage that in your communication? If not, I am certified with Gallup to administer and coach you through this assessment and the results (and others) if you are interested in better understanding yourself and your strengths. Help Others Succeed by Leveraging Your Skills You also have the strength of your skills and experiences to offer to those in your audience; use them! And maybe you're thinking, you don't have skills or experiences that would help others, but I'm betting that you're selling yourself short. What are the areas in your life where you have developed knowledge and skills? What areas have you succeeded in? What have you experienced in life, both good and bad? If you're not sure, ask the people who are closest to you. Take inventory because tapping into these areas when you communicate "provides you with something you can give others to help them succeed." This week, answer these questions: Which of the four connection points comes most naturally to you? How can you leverage your natural talents and use them in your communication? How can you help others through your skills, knowledge, and experiences?

“People will receive more from a communicator with average content who connects than they ever will from a speaker with great content who never connects." -- John C. Maxwell "If it is true that almost everything we become and accomplish in life occurs with and through other people, then the ability to connect and create rapport with others is the most important skill we can learn." Whatever your position or role, whoever your primary audience is, think for a moment about how you've been communicating your message. Have you made the message all about you, or have you made sure that it is all about them? Consider a husband and wife who are struggling to communicate, a parent and a child, or an employer and their team. You don't have to speak in front of a large crowd to have an audience, but regardless of the size, you need to learn to connect with them before you can ever hope to get them to hear and respond to your message. Realize You Are Not The Main Attraction If you make your communication and your message about you -- what you want, what you feel, what you need -- your audience is going to pick up on that real quick, and they won't like it. Your job as a communicator is not to get attention, impress others with your skill, or gain recognition. This way doesn't create a connection but a wedge. But if you can get over yourself, you'll open the door to connecting with your audience. Make Your First Impression Your Best Impression Did you know that it takes roughly seven seconds for people to decide whether or not they like you? So how do you make the best impression right away? Often when we are in front of people, we focus on ourselves -- what do they think about me? what does my hair look like? do I have anything in my teeth? are they paying attention? -- but to truly make the best impression, we should focus on making much of the other person. John Maxwell will tell you (and I have first-hand experience of this) that regardless of the size of his audience, he tries to say something encouraging or positive about them within the first 30 seconds of the interaction because the audience doesn't care what you have to say until they know that you care about them. "The entire population of the world, with one minor exception, is composed of others." -- John C. Maxwell Be Intentional in Seeking to Understand Their World As Jim Rohn once said, "Start with where people are before you take them where they want to go." If you want to connect with your audience, you need to meet them where they are and find common ground in that space. "The greater the commonality, the greater the potential for effective communication." For example, an employer won't connect with his employees on upcoming process changes to increase productivity and profits if he doesn't first recognize and address that they are concerned about losing their jobs or having their hours cut. Instead, he should intentionally acknowledge and validate their feelings and establish commonality before moving on to the solution of the changes. Be Personable "Communication is about removing barriers," so to connect with your audience, you want to do whatever you can to ensure that they feel like you are approachable -- emotionally, intellectually, and physically. As communicators, our biggest hindrance to being personable with our audience is not being comfortable with who we are. John calls this the Approachability Principle, if you are comfortable with yourself, you will make others comfortable with you, but if you are uncomfortable, the audience can sense that and will be distracted by it. Develop Charisma "You can develop charisma when you focus on others by being present, projecting confidence, and creating warmth." If you want to develop charisma in your communication, be 100% present in your interactions with others. People who succeed at this make their audience feel like there is no one else in the world but them. In addition to presence, you must learn to develop confidence by believing the best about your audience, recognizing that your message has helped you, knowing that it will help them, and believing that your audience will respond positively to you and your message. "If you possess confidence in yourself and others, and that confidence is focused on adding value to people, you will be attractive to others." Creating warmth in your communication means that your audience feels seen, appreciated, accepted, and important, not just because they are in your audience but because you like and value them as individuals. This warmth inspires them to believe in themselves and what is possible for them. This week, answer these questions: Which of these steps do you need to develop and why? How would developing these steps impact your communication? How can you be intentional in developing these steps?

“If content is king, then communication is queen. They rule together, and they cannot be separated." -- John C. Maxwell Have you ever had someone ask you to summarize someone else's message, maybe a book, podcast, or speech, but though you thought you were paying attention, you can't remember a single thing to repeat? In today's world, your audience receives thousands of messages from every direction and various sources every day. Each one is vying for their attention, just like you. So, how do you stand out and catch their attention? The Law of Content says that people will start to listen if you have something worth saying. John Maxwell illustrates this law with a puzzle. He says that your message is like the pieces of a puzzle, and your job as the communicator is to provide your audience with that helpful picture on the front of the puzzle box that helps them put it all together into something meaningful. "If they can't put it together and enjoy the process, you haven't succeeded as a communicator. You want people to be able to follow your thinking and see the picture you're trying to create." You can help your audience put the pieces together by following these steps: Understand Your Audience "When you don't know your audience or don't craft your content to fit them, you're in danger of losing them." What is your audience looking to learn or experience? What challenges will they face as they receive your message? What is the setting of your communication -- is it formal or casual? -- and does your tone and vocabulary reflect that? Keep to your Strengths You cannot give your audience something you don't have, so stick to your strengths. For example, John Maxwell might communicate on topics such as communication, leadership, attitude, significance, or success, but you will never find him giving a talk or writing a book on physics or chemistry. What do you do best? Where is your intuition strongest or your natural skill greatest? These are your strength zones, and these are the topics you will be most effective with and create the clearest pictures for. Develop Your Thesis Statement Your thesis statement is the main thought or the essence of your message summed up in one sentence; it is the picture on your own box as you develop your communication puzzle. "The hardest people to follow are communicators who are searching for their core idea as they deliver their message. If you don't know your main point, how will anyone else?" "Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it." -- Robert Frost Do Your Research & Write Your Outline Crafting your outline and completing your research can be done in any order, but they must be done because "your content will only be as good as your research" and "a good outline makes your message solid and holds it together." It's not just about fleshing out your message; you're looking for the right material. It obviously needs to be relevant to your message but also connect with you and be memorable to your audience. The Beginning, Middle, and End Once you've done your research and created your outline, it's time to craft the content of your message. Consider starting with a question, quote, historical reference, promise, emotional connection, etc., to grab your audience right away. Plan your transitions with pauses, keywords, or other methods of moving through your outline. And close the communication with a review of your thesis statement, a unifying story to summarize your message, or a call to action. Throughout the process of crafting your content, ask yourself: What will they learn from this? How will they interact with me and the content? How will it resonate with them emotionally? What can ensure that they connect with my message? Create Echoes It's unlikely that your audience will remember everything about your message, but you can intentionally use "phrasing that creates echoes in people's minds and hearts. They will carry it with them after the experience, and they will repeat it to others." This week, answer these questions: Which of these steps do you need to develop and why? How would developing these steps impact your communication? How can you be intentional in developing these steps?

“Success begins with we, not me. No one person has all the answers." -- John C. Maxwell The Law of Collaboration is near and dear to my heart, though I wouldn't have always said as much. I grew up as a very independent individual. In school, I wouldn't say I liked group projects because I felt like people added an unnecessary obstacle to my work; I could do it faster and better by myself. As I entered the professional world, my opinion didn't change until much later; I knew what needed to be done and how I wanted to do it, and people rarely lived up to my standards. My change of heart began as I better understood myself and how I fit into the world around me. I could see how I could complement the people I worked with to help fill the gaps and offer a different perspective. The more I recognized how I did this for other people, the more it sunk in that they did the same for me! As John Maxwell says, "No individual is completely well-rounded and balanced. But teams can be." Others Have Different Perspectives Involving others allows you to see your communication through a different lens. Because of your personality, strengths, and experiences, you see the world a certain way. This isn't a bad thing, but involving others who have different perspectives will help you to expand your view of yourself, your audience, and the world and become a better communicator and grow as a person. Others ask Different Questions Because you can only naturally see through your own life and experience, there may be questions that you would never stop to consider. However, including others in your process means they fill that gap and ask the questions you haven't considered. This allows you to better connect with your audience by diving deeper into your subject matter, process, and presentation in ways that would have been impossible by yourself. "We should not only use all the brains we have, but all the brains we can borrow." -- Woodrow Wilson Others Help Maintain Focus Last week, we explored the Law of Preparation and how it's essential to prepare your message by asking: What do I want them to see? What do I want them to know? What do I want them to feel? What do I want them to do? By collaborating with others who understand you and your message, they can help you stay on track and in focus. It's easy for us to get sidetracked in our busy world, but by surrounding yourself with people who can support you, you are putting guard rails in place to ensure your message connects the way you want it to. Intentional Collaboration Just because collaboration is a must if you want to go far doesn't mean that you should collaborate with just anyone. When looking to collaborate, look for individuals to join your team who: Have an abundance and options mindset; they believe that there are always solutions and options to move forward. Ask and answer good questions; "the more well-thought-out the questions are, the better the answers will be, and the when the questions are asked in the spirit of improvement, not criticism, the more helpful they will be." Generate ideas and spark creativity; "the best way to get a great idea is to put together many good ideas." Give honest feedback; anyone can give valuable feedback, but the people who are great at doing what you do can help identify and implement even better solutions. This week, answer these questions: Who do you know that you can add to your collaboration team? What books or resources can you use as second-hand collaboration? How can collaboration transform your communication and other areas of your personal and professional life?

“If you wing it, success is improbable. If you work for it, success is inevitable." -- John C. Maxwell Today's communication law is the Law of Preparation, which applies to all areas of life, not just how you communicate. One of the things that I tell my clients (and myself) is that success and fulfillment come when we live and work on purpose. However, most of us live by accident -- there is little to no preparation to reach our potential, goals, and dreams. But "spectacular performance is always preceded by unspectacular preparation." We often want to skip the preparation because, as John Maxwell stated, it's unspectacular; there is no glory in the preparation itself, and it takes time, intentionality, and hard work. But in communication, preparation is the glue that holds you to your subject matter and your audience and vice versa. As Benjamin Franklin is attributed with saying, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Preparation is More than Subject Matter In communication, preparation is more than just designing your speech or article, and I'm not here to tell you how to formulate your communication (i.e., introduction, body, and conclusion). But John gives four powerful questions to help you connect your audience to your message: What do I want them to see? What do I want them to know? What do I want them to feel? What do I want them to do? These questions can (and should) be asked for every communication, and the answers don't have to change every time. In fact, Maxwell says that these questions help him stay on his "Big Message," meaning the one he communicates every time he speaks, regardless of the subject matter. Preparation Furthers Personal Development Malcolm Gladwell points out that "practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good," and in life and communication, there is always room for further development. John Maxwell likes to say that you're dead when you stop learning and growing; you just haven't made it official yet. But preparation that fosters learning, growth, and development begins by asking powerful questions that help you: Familiarize yourself with your message. Do I know what I want to communicate? Do I feel what I want to communicate? Do I live what I want to communicate? Evaluate your effectiveness while speaking. Am I comfortable and confident? Is my audience leaning in? When am I, and when am I not connecting with the audience? Are they engaged? Prepare for the opportunity. Did I communicate what I wanted to (i.e., the Big Message) Did I communicate the subject matter well? Did I inspire the audience to take action? How can I make the message better? And these are just a few questions you could ask to grow yourself through preparation! "All great speakers were bad speakers at first." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson Preparation Multiplies Talent Talent is your natural ability, but it won't develop into a strength or a skill unless you intentionally use it well (preparation) and often (consistent practice). Low Talent + Low Preparation = No Skill Low Talent + High Preparation = Average Skill High Talent + Low Preparation = Limited Skill High Talent + High Preparation = Great Skill High Talent + Consistent High Preparation = Unlimited Skill Preparation Doesn't Stop Because you should always be learning, growing, and developing into the best version of yourself, preparation doesn't have a finish line. Even an expert like John Maxwell, who has spoken more than 13,000 times and sold more than 20 million book copies, will tell you that he still gets up every day and prepares for the communication he has to do. "Preparation and practice will never stop if you want to be at the top of your game. The higher you climb in proficiency and public acceptance, the greater the need to practice. Excellence is a result of many practices." As Brian Tracy says, "Your success will be in direct proportion to what you do after you've done what you are expected to do." This week, answer these questions: What is your Big Message? How can you improve your preparation to get the results you want? When will you implement these preparation strategies?

“Your conviction becomes contagious when your focus is on others and the benefits they will receive from your message." -- John C. Maxwell As I read today's chapter, I couldn't help but recall a recent meeting with my mentor regarding an upcoming event my business is hosting. I walked away from that conversation with one very clear thought -- I need to learn to express more confidence in myself and my message. How often do you feel this way about your message? The first of the communication laws -- the Law of Credibility -- taught that our most effective message is the one we live day in and day out. Today's law -- the Law of Conviction -- teaches us that our communication is strongest when connected to our beliefs or convictions. As John Maxwell writes, "If you want to be an energetic and effective communicator, you need to be a person of conviction. That begins with strong positive beliefs about yourself, your audience, and the message you have to offer others." Personal Conviction Do you believe that you can make a difference? As communicators, our motivation should be to add value and make a difference in the lives of our audience, but to do that, we need to believe that we can. "If you are convinced you can help people, they will listen to you and give you a chance." People Conviction Do you believe that people can improve their lives? "Good leaders and good [communicators] believe in people, believe they can change, believe they can grow, and believe they can improve. And they help them do those things." Purpose Conviction Do you know and believe in your purpose? When you know and believe in your purpose or "why," you can unlock your conviction in communication. The combination of belief and purpose looks something like this: Low Personal Belief + Low Purpose Belief = "I won't get started." High Personal Belief + Low Purpose Belief = "I won't continue." Low Personal Belief + High Purpose Belief = "I won't achieve my purpose." High Personal Belief + High Purpose Belief = "I will achieve my purpose." "A different world cannot be built by indifferent people." -- John C. Maxwell How to Communicate with Conviction Once you have identified your personal, people, and purpose convictions, you can use them to "clarify your messages, improve your communication, and make a positive difference in your world. To communicate with conviction, you must believe in these three things." Believe in Yourself "If you don't believe in yourself, how in the world will your audience believe in you?" Effective communicators have confidence that they have what it takes to make a difference. In my experience, we often have difficulty having confidence in ourselves because we know that the line between confidence and arrogance is thin, but "conviction brings confidence, and confidence fuels conviction -- as long as the focus is on helping others, not on advancing yourself." Believe in Your Message & Your Audience Once you believe in yourself, you must believe your message can make a difference to help your audience improve their lives. Without this confidence, you will be unable to communicate with conviction. "Your conviction becomes contagious when your focus is on others and the benefits they will receive from your message. That's when belief blossoms and gains real power." Believe in the Power of Your Words When you communicate with belief and conviction, your message is stronger, which is evident to your audience through your words. "As a communicator, when you are convinced you can help others and offer them the best course of action, people in your audience feel secure, gain confidence, and begin to accept your advice. If you are authentic, stand for something, live good values, and give your best, you will always strengthen your audience and add value to them." This week, answer these questions: Which area of conviction -- personal, people, purpose -- do you struggle with the most? How can you build your belief in this area? How would increasing your conviction in this area improve your communication?

“Much of what you become in life depends on whom you choose to admire and copy." -- Warren Buffett One cool October day, a fox, a wolf, and a bear went on a hunting trip together. They were each lucky enough (or skilled enough) to get a deer, but the bear wanted to know how they should divide their spoils. He went to the wolf first and asked for his thoughts. The wolf replied that they should each take a deer home: three hunters, three deer. The bear nodded his head and immediately ate the wolf. Next, the bear went to the fox and asked how he thought it should be done. The fox, cunning as he was, suggested that the bear take all three deer home with him. "Where did you get such wisdom?" asked the bear. "From the wolf." replied the fox. One of the key ways that we, as humans, learn is by observation; the same is true for those who are looking to improve their communication. The second law of communication is the Law of Observation. This law teaches that to become a good communicator, you need to learn by exposing yourself to great communicators. "Who you will become as a communicator depends on who you choose to admire and copy." Start Where You Are Every communicator has to start somewhere, and it's always best to start right where you are. With modern technology, you can choose from countless speakers, writers, and influencers as you build your observation exposure. Start with someone you admire and respect in the area where you spend most of your time; for John Maxwell (when he first got started), this was pastors within his denomination; for me, it's leadership communicators like John Maxwell, Valorie Burton, and Simon Sinek. Identify your focus area and who the great communicators are within that area, then find ways to watch, listen, and learn from them. If you want to be a comedian, observe comedians; if you want to be a lawyer, observe lawyers; if you want to be a teacher, observe great teachers; if you want to lead a business, observe business communicators. Ask Questions, Discover Answers Observation without intention won't help you improve, so each time you have the opportunity to learn from a great communicator, ask these questions and write down your answers: What did the communicator do to connect? Why did the introduction work so well? What made the structure work? What was the best moment? How did the communicator create it? What made the communication memorable? What was their best communication quality? How much was personality, and how much was technique? What did they do that I can try? "If you are at the head of the class, you are in the wrong class." -- John C. Maxwell Apply What You Learn Once you begin to understand what works for others, you can apply the techniques you observed to your practice. Of course, not everything will work for you as it did for the one you observed (remember the Law of Credibility, too), but you can adapt and figure out your unique style. Speak as often as you can and learn as you go. One of the ways you can learn from your own experience is to have someone in the audience you trust answer some of the questions above and give you constructive feedback. Enjoy the Journey Communication is more of a journey than a destination. Even John Maxwell, recognized as one of the world's leading communicators, says, "I continue to study communication so I can learn and grow. I will do that until the day I die. Why? First, because I love communication and want to know everything about it. Second, I know there are communicators out there who are better than I am and from whom I can learn. Third, audiences continue to change. If I'm not continuing to grow, one day, I'll wake up and find myself irrelevant. I don't want that to happen." This week, answer these questions: What great communicators can you learn from within your focus area? What is your strategy to learn from them, and when will you start? How can you put what you observe and learn into practice?

“Who you are gives credibility to everything you say." -- John C. Maxwell Everyone communicates, but it takes intentional effort and energy to communicate in a way that connects with your audience. Today, we are starting a new book, The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication, by John C. Maxwell. Whatever your message or your audience, communication is essential if you want to succeed personally and professionally. As communication expert Hayley Hawthorne says, "Communication is the connective tissue between humans, holding the potential to bring us together, create shared understanding, align on and execute initiatives, and so much more. At the end of the day, communication is the vehicle for transformation." The first law of communication is the Law of Credibility because your message will not connect with your audience, whether it is your family or your employees, unless it is in line with who you are. This is called authenticity, and authenticity gives you credibility. To develop your authenticity and credibility: Be Transparent "Communication is more than just sharing information. It's really about sharing yourself -- your real self. That level of honesty is the key to connecting with people." It's important to note that transparency doesn't mean sharing everything about yourself; "TMI" is real. The key to transparency in communication is being comfortable with who you are and owning that with your audience. Of course, this can be nerve-wracking; what if they don't like who you are? But if you attempt to be someone you're not, you'll likely lose them anyway. "People don't want perfect communicators, but they do want authentic ones." Be Consistent "Nothing is easier than saying words. Nothing is harder than living them, day after day." Have you ever been told to do what someone says, not what they do? It doesn't hold much weight when it comes to making choices. What you do means more than what you say, especially if there is a disconnect in the message. "If you give good advice but set a bad example, you confuse -- and eventually lose -- your audience. Consistency is crucial if you want to become a good communicator." "What you are stands over you... and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson Be Competent Similar to consistency, "the 'weight' of a communicator's words is determined by what they have accomplished." If you're unsure what you've accomplished, consider areas where you've been successful, including the skills and knowledge you have acquired and used. If you lack competency in an area you want to communicate on, don't just wing it; start to develop yourself and learn what is required because people can tell when you don't know what you're talking about. "Competent people earn the right to speak into the lives of others." Be Trustworthy "Trust is a person's greatest asset." People consider you trustworthy when you show up with authenticity, consistency, competency, the right motives, and a desire to truly help them. True communication is about the other person, and if they don't trust you, they won't listen to you, believe you, or cooperate with you. "Without trust, everything grinds to a halt." This week, consider the five levels of communication: The Requirement Level: People have to listen to you because of your position or title. The Relationship Level: People want to listen to you because they like you. The Remarkable Level: People like to listen to you because you're a good speaker/writer. The Reason Level: People seek to listen to you because you add value to their lives. The Return Level: People are eager to listen to you because of who you are. Which one do you fall into with your audience? How can you grow yourself to the next level?