Three Ways the Influential Communicator Harnesses Video for Masterful Speaking

The statistic on the number of people in the U.S. who have a fear of public speaking is around 75% .?

Although I don't have a number, I wonder about the percentage of business professionals who "cringe" when they must watch the playback of their media interviews and speaking engagements.

Watching a video of yourself speaking is an eye-opening exercise. The learning is immense, yet experience tells me it's not a preferred or easy practice.

The Influential Communicator uses video in three ways to become a better speaker.

Step #1: Turn off the video and listen to yourself.

You can ask these questions as you listen:

• How does my voice sound ? Am I modulating appropriately by using the highs and lows of my voice range? For example, you can draw attention to important information when you raise your voice in enthusiasm, or lower your voice to share pertinent facts that people need to hear.
• Do I have Up Speak at the beginning or during a presentation? Nerves often cause voices to lilt up at the end of sentences or phrases, as if there's uncertainty or you're asking the audience a series of questions.?
• Do I speak too quietly, or is my voice too loud? How is my voice energy, and does it change as I'm speaking? Altering voice volume is a technique that can get people to pay attention or to tune in more closely.
• Are the words I'm saying crisp and clear??When you enunciate not only do people understand you better, but you also create a professional image when you're presenting.
• Do I say what I want to say, at the right time? When verbal fluency is high, your words flow and they're more intentional. Speaking fluently helps you to project confidence, credibility and thought leadership.
• Is my breathing noticeable? Improper breathing affects the sound of your voice. When breathing in your throat or chest, you don't get the full sound of your voice. Breathing from your diaphragm offers a richer quality and sometimes a deeper and more pleasing sound.

Step #2 Turn off the volume and watch yourself.

Here are a few questions to ask as you watch yourself on video:

• Do I have any unconscious habits or mannerisms in my body language that I might want to change? Unconscious habits can often be distracting to an audience and they can also make you look nervous as a speaker.
• Do I look comfortable from my head and shoulders to my arm movements, hand gestures and body positioning??Watch how your body moves and if you look relaxed or tense, and whether your movements are closed and tucked in or open and fluid. When your gestures are open and fluid you can create energy and excitement as you connect with your audience.
• Do I have any digital flexion? Digital flexion in the hands/fingers shows how you pull back into a fist, which can signal doubt, disagreement, stress, or anger.
• Is my chin up, and are my shoulders down and back so I look confident? Shoulders down and back and chin up are signs of strength. If you hunch your shoulders, you may look smaller and more vulnerable. Shoulders down and back also help you to breathe more easily, which can reduce anxiety or nervousness when speaking.
• What do my facial expressions say? There are six universal facial expressions and several micro-expressions. If you're interested you can check out last month's newsletter article, Influential Communicator Confidence: 3 Ways Micro-Expressions Help to Build Relationships .

Step #3: Watch and listen to your video to learn how voice, words and body language come together.

Here are a few questions to ask to determine speaker alignment:

• Do my hand gestures compliment my main messages, or are they out of synch with what I'm sharing? Hands help to emphasize the important words you're saying.
• Am I framing my thoughts logically and placing the most important messages first? Do I share in a concise way for my audience to comprehend? Concise includes how to condense important information into a specified timeframe, to crystallize the most important messages upfront, remove annoying filler words and to paint a clear and vivid picture so people will hear, and also "see" what you're saying.
• When I approach tough topics or address hard questions, does my body shrink or "turtle"? In other words, if your shoulders inch up toward your ears and / or you're shrinking back into your chair, then your body is saying discomfort and uncertainty regardless of the words you use.
• At what point do my vocal, verbal, and non-verbal cues align? Alignment or Communications Flow is the point when your voice sounds rich, your words are crisp, clear and smooth, and your body language flows in synch with your vocal and verbal cues.

7 Best Practice Tips When You Watch Yourself

Better Speaking Moving Forward

The Influential Communicator watches videos in different ways to become self-aware, recognize what needs to change and work toward full alignment of vocal, verbal, and non-verbal cues.

Getting into your "Flow" early (within 60 seconds), and staying there wherever you show up to speak, is optimal. The more you watch yourself speak and you learn from the playback, the more your influential communications will grow.

How do you use video to improve your communication skills?