13 Ways to Prep for Alignment & Communications Flow

How would you prepare for a trip to another country? Would you map out your itinerary, book your airfare and hotel accommodations in advance, and learn about the culture of the country, or would you just wing it?

When you're getting ready for a job interview, do you uncover important company information, the background of the interviewer, and do you prep by thinking about the questions you may be asked regarding your experience and reason for applying for the role?

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” - Benjamin Franklin?

“If you prepare yourself at every point as well as you can…you will be able to grasp the opportunity for broader experience when it appears.” -?Eleanor Roosevelt

"Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” - Alexander Graham Bell

I could have shared a hundred quotes from notable figures in history and modern day leaders. They clearly have a preparation mindset and their quotes reflect the advantages.

Having a Preparation Mindset

There is no substitute for good preparation. So, how do you prepare for important communication opportunities, such as your company meetings, presentations and other speaking engagements, and media interviews?

Aside from the well developed creative and targeted content you share, do you ready your mind, body, heart and soul, as a part of the communication preparation??

In other words, does your preparation lend itself to all parts of you being aligned (vocally, verbally and non-verbally) when you want to be an influential communicator?

The preparation you put into getting aligned is revealed when you show up with your present, authentic, tuned-in self to every interaction you have.

Fifteen years ago, if you were to ask me about exercises, techniques and activities to prepare for better and more aligned communication, I would have shared different exercises than I’m sharing today.

Adding New Techniques to Your Preparation Routine

It’s time to add some newer techniques to communication preparation. Here are several activities for you to consider, as you gear up for your communication opportunities. The list below will help you clear your mind, ease your body and unleash your heart / soul (the whole aligned you) before you communicate with any audience:

1. Show up early so you can get familiar with your surroundings and imagine yourself in the setting calmly and clearly presenting information, with your expertise flowing.
2. Breathe deeply ten times prior to the start of your?communication session. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, and getting your breath into your diaphragm (belly breathing) will produce maximum benefits. Belly breathing helps your vocal (the sound of your voice), verbal (the words you choose to share based on cognitive function) and non-verbal cues to be in synch.
3. Stretch your body by reaching your arms and hands toward the sky. The Power Pose or when you Strike a Pose are great ways to warm up your body and senses before you speak. For each stretch, your?feet can be firmly planted on the ground about a foot or so apart with arms raised high above your head.
4. Put your hands on your heart to feel your heartbeat and you'll feel more centered.?At the same time, the warmth of your hand, on your heart, begins the release of oxytocin (the trust, belonging and calm hormone) in your brain.
5. Try Balayam (nail rubbing), which is an ancient Yoga technique that increases circulation and gets your blood flowing to major organs, such as your lungs and heart. Of special note is how?Balayam also invigorates dead hair follicles. Yes, you can Google this technique to learn how Balayam (10 minutes a day) may help you grow or regrow hair.
6. Listen to some of your favorite music prior to your presentation or media interview. Hum the music, in your head, right beforehand. Humming activates the vagus?nerve (the largest nerve in your body) and produces positive, happy effects. Think of people who frequently hum or sing. They’re generally happy when they're engaged in either?activity.
7. Find a quiet place and practice speaking out load to hear how you'll sound to your audience. You can also sing a song to yourself and hear how you sound. Do you sound too fast or slightly nervous? If the words you're singing are coming out of your mouth too quickly, then you?should breathe more to slow?yourself down.
8. Imagine yourself after a meeting, presentation or media interview, feeling great about the information you've shared. The power of visualization helps you to view a positive outcome. After all, if you can see it, then you're conditioning your brain for a positive outcome.
9. Think about past successes and how well these interviews, presentations, meetings, etc., went for you. Remember to only focus on the positive!
10. Use your self-talk with phrases including: “I can do this” and “I’m going to do really well,” and “I know this topic, I am the expert.” Positive self-talk can help you feel more confident and focused.
11. Smile beforehand and feel yourself enjoying the communication and any exchange of information. What you feel feeds your thoughts, which feed your subconscious mind, which, in turn, plays out in your behavior and creates the reality around you.
12. Harness any nervous energy into excited energy and enthusiasm. Energy is reciprocal and your audience will feel the strength of your positive energy and get excited too.?They will mirror you!
13. Eat bananas before you communicate … apparently the combination of potassium, and also bananas being high in B vitamins, helps to calm you down. Try some nuts and seeds too. Be sure to avoid any caffeinated products.

Getting Aligned and into a Communications Flow

Of course, knowing your topic in any communication scenario, and prepping with the questions you think you'll be asked,?always helps to calm nerves and lessen your stress.?

Remember, preparation also means knowing the material like the back of your hand.?

When you try the activities above (one or all), you’ll find calmer nerves, less overwhelm, a relaxed body and a better way to channel nervous energy into a meaningful exchange with your audience.?

Regardless of the setting, whether it’s a team meeting, presentation on stage or media interview, you’ll begin to deliver your expertise with your aligned, flowing self for greater influence and impact.

BONUS:?Livestream Book Launch Event on October 20th

I’ll be selecting a few of these alignment prep?activities before my co-author (and husband) Mark Skrobola host a livestream broadcast to celebrate the launch our Children’s Book, "Daddy Are You Listening?" We've also put together a "Guest Dad Panel" with Richard Bistrong , Jason Mollica , Martin Waxman and Ken Jacobs to discuss listening in the home and in the workplace too. We hope you join us on October 20th at 7:00 p.m. ET LIVE to celebrate the launch of our book!