Communicate to Inspire: A Pathway to Extraordinary Leadership Leah C. Lorendo, Ph.D.

, CCC-SLP Principal, Imprensia Communications

Learning Outcomes Topics focus on managing the impressions of listeners through alignment of essential communication behaviors with content for both verbal and written communication.

A. What is effective communication? 1. Clarifying communication effectiveness 2. How you reduce your effectiveness as a communicator 3. Responsibilities of speaker and listener B. Aligning self-awareness with listener impressions 1. You are probably wrong about you (H. Halvorson) 2. How do you know? - reliable assessment of communication skills 3. Constructive listener feedback C. Enhancing communication presence through intentional communication behaviors 1. Using awareness to identify what is effective in your communication and also areas of improvement 2. Making intentional communication choices

Session Outline A. Utilizing leadership communication characteristics to create, inspire and influence 1. Components of leadership communication 2. Using audience analysis to reach readers/listeners a. Strategy b. Organization c. Style d. Document design e. Visuals f. Level of language g. Technical terms and theory h. Formality informality

2 3. How to relate to your audience a. Purposes? b. Audience? c. Information? d. Benefits? e. Objections? f. Context? 4. Desired outcome at the end of the communication a. Informing b. Persuading c. Convincing d. Asking for a specific action e. understand if they understand it, what will they do? 5. Adapting your message to the intended audience 6. Use appropriate medium for the communication (email; text; tweet; telephone call, etc.) D. Using imaging skills for mental rehearsing 1. Congruency and intentional communication choices 2. Engaging listeners E. Making the most of nonverbal communication 1. What do I do with my hands? (N. Morgan) 2. Just look me in the eye already (S. Shellenbarger) 3. Facial expressions to complement your message F. Drawing listeners into your communication 1. Congruency alignment 2. Effort to engage listeners 3. Focus on the listeners and their cues G. Achieving vocal impact through vocal distinction 1. Expressive communication 2. Rate of speaking 3. Pausing (formulate a thought before you begin to speak; thinking out loud; ending a statement with a period; giving the listener time to process what you just said) 4. Use of meaningful words: elimination of filler words or noncommittal words 5. Filler words - uhm, uh, like, you know, so, so anyway, anyways, be that as it may, as I was saying any word or phrase used repeatedly 6. Noncommittal words 7. Not too bad, okay, perhaps, maybe, hope, think, might

3 8. Vocal expression a. Breathing and breath support (physical tension and relaxation) b. Resonance (open mouth and sustain vowels) c. Projection (open mouth, sustain vowels and land voice forward); physical location (trying to be quiet) d. Tone (vowels) e. Vocal emphasis (use vowels to emphasize important words) f. Vocal variety (intonation and inflection) g. Vocal variety and vocal emphasis (vowels and key words) h. Speech precision, clarity and energy (open mouth, sustain vowels, round lips, fully form each word, read my lips) i. Energetic articulation this doesnt mean volume. j. Downward inflections and upward inflections (we talked about it a little earlier k. Intention (how do you want the listener to feel and react?) what is your desired outcome for the communication/conversation? l. Expression and emotion how do you show (or not show) the emotion in your message? m. Enhancing expressive communication

H. Communication style and delivery Clarity and accessibility Words that are easy to understand A mixture of sentence lengths Short paragraphs Natural, conversational style Personable Tactful language

I. Improving writing with a focus on the expectations, goals and needs of the readers (reader-centered writing) these concepts are also valuable in verbal communication Choose content and the right amount of detail Analyze and explain complex data Use terms, abbreviations, and acronyms effectively Adopt the you attitude Organize and transition ideas effectively

4 Communicate findings and so whats concisely Plain language Clarify technical jargon Use powerful visual aids Edit for impact using checklists and quality tools Write straightforward action steps and requests Position conclusions and recommendations strategically Proofread accurately and check for flow and logic. Cost of poor writing financially and to your practices brand Strategic purpose Responds to readers needs and answers likely questions Logically sequenced, with vital information first Visually appealing and easy reading Appropriate tone and simple, concise language Strong opening and effective closing Clearly state purpose of the communication Make clear what you want the reader to do, if anything Reply to all?

J. Developing empathic listening If you want to succeedanywhere that involves interacting with people, you need expert listening skills. (M. Murphy) Transparent active listening skills Healthcare communication is listening Listening is the front end of decision making Poor listening

K. Aligning communication impressions throughout your medical practice Modeling Mentoring Coaching Patient satisfaction Employee satisfaction

5 Vocal Distinction and Nonverbal Communication Exercises

Communicating feelings Develop your ability to express a variety of feelings with your voice, facial expressions and movement that complements (elements of nonverbal communication) what you are saying (congruent): Warmth Affection Comfort Discomfort Anxiety Frustration Fear Irritation Annoyance Gratitude Satisfaction Uncertainty Anger Excitement Determination Empathy

Body language Nonverbal Communication Power poses (A. Cuddy) Non-powerful body language How does it feel? What impression does it give to listeners? Why do you use certain body postures/non-verbal language? Build awareness to use intentional nonverbal communication choices.

6 Expressive Communication Exercise 1 Say the following words working to evoke the meaning of the word by the way you say it. Dont use any lead in words or explanatory phrases. Work to say each word several ways different meanings. o Be aware of your vocal tone and variation in vowels with different ways of saying each word. o Feel how your facial expressions add emphasis to your words and voice. o Add expressive movement to complement your voice and facial expression(s). Cool Huge Long Soft Chilly Hot Short Hard Cozy Round High Low Crash Big Heavy Rough Deep Smooth Exhausted Furious Fabulous Peculiar Smooth Crunchy Calm Squishy Sharp Cuddly Sour Fast Scratchy

7 Expressive Communication Exercise 2 Say a sentence you use frequently - in several different ways. Listen to how you sound when you emphasize a different word. Notice how you feel and sound when you say a sentence with different body language and/or with emphasis on different words. Examples: 1. With vocal emphasis on different words. You achieve vocal emphasis when you stretch the vowel and put a slight emphasis on the vowel sound. Say it 3 or 4 times with emphasis on different vowels how does the impression or meaning change? (vocal emphasis on vowels). 2. Lying back in your chair, or, leaning on arm of chair. 3. Using a slight shrug and throwing up your hands. 4. Using contradictory body language (shaking head no when saying something positive). 5. Saying it loud with sharp sounds to the vowels. 6. Speaking fast, running sounds and words together. 7. With rounded vowels and conversational speed and pauses between thoughts. Practice vocal emphasis and vocal variety by taking a sentence and asking questions about the words in the sentence. For example: This initiative is critical to our organizations success in 2014. What initiative? This initiative is critical to our organizations success in 2014. What is critical? This initiative is critical to our organizations success in 2014. Is it important to our organization? This initiative is critical to our organizations success in 2014. Who benefits? This initiative is critical to our organizations success in 2014. How important is it? This initiative is critical to our organizations success in 2014. When will we benefit? This initiative is critical to our organizations success in 2014.

Parts of these exercises were taken from: Hunt, E. The Voice Workbook.

Speaking with Expression Practice the following examples focusing on dynamic differences in expressive speech and expressing emotion in your voice. Pay attention to how you use your facial expressions and movement to complement your message.

Hello! Who's there? (said with excitement) Hello? Who's there? (said with hesitation and question) Gee, I can't wait! (said with excitement and enthusiasm) Gee, I can't wait. (said with sarcasm) I can't believe it. (said with anger) I can't believe it! (said with excitement and energy) When will he get here? (said with much anticipation and enthusiasm) When will he get here? (said with agitation and frustration) I made it! (said with excitement and energy) I made it? (said with question and doubt) We have so much work to do. (said with dread and despair) We have so much work to do! (said with enthusiasm and perseverance) I give up. (said with sorrow and discouragement) I give up.' (said with anger and disgust) No wait. (said sternly and with caution) No wait! (said with enthusiasm as if having a brilliant idea) You look great! (said with joy and happiness) You look great. (said with sarcasm) I will make it happen. (said with determination and confidence) I will make it happen? (said with doubt)

9 Leave me alone. (said sickly and weakly) Leave me alone! (said angrily) Magic beads? What magic beads? (said sternly and as if demanding an answer) Magic beads? What magic beads? (said softly with caution and wonder) Did you do it? (said in an accusatory manner) Did you do it? (said with excitement and wonder) What are we going to do? (said with despair and sadness) What are we going to do? (said with fear, anxiousness, and stress) That is none of your business. (said shyly and with embarrassment) That is none of your business! (said defensively and angrily) Take it easy. (said with friendliness and support) Take it easy! (said with defensiveness and heightened emotion) I want to go right now! (said with happiness and enthusiasm) I want to go right now! (said with anger) She's a real beauty. (said in a proud glowing manner) She's a real beauty. (said with sarcasm and in a cynical manner) No really, I'm okay. (said with confidence and reassurance) No really, I'm okay. (said with attempts to gain pity) Oh, Mother, are you kidding? (said with annoyance and agitation) Oh, Mother, are you kidding? (said with celebration of hearing great news) Are you really going? (said with excitement) Are you really going? (said with doubt and hesitation) I walked the whole way. (said in a tired and flat manner) I walked the whole way. (said with pride) Boy, I can't wait to eat that. (said with sarcasm and humor) Boy, I can't wait to eat that! (said with cheerful anticipation)

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We won the game? (said as if you can't believe it) We won the game! (said with happiness and excitement) I found them under the desk. (said meekly and with hesitation) I found them under the desk! (said with surprise and relief)

Source: Verbal Expression. WALC6. LinguiSystems, Inc.

Leah C. Lorendo, Ph.D., CCC-SLP http://www.imprensia.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Imprensia Inquiries: Imprensia@outlook.com