How to Start Making Sense (Part Two)

A conversation is a two-way street. The mistake many folks make is to become overly occupied with the thought of what to say with little regard for how it is perceived. Sometimes (and ironically indeed), this error stems from the very passion of the speaker to convery his idea in the best way possible.

I remember preparing for a speech once. In an attempt to impress my audience, I overloaded the piece with bogus information and redundant material. Needless to say, the outcome was distatsteful; I ended up bombarding the listeners with too much content in such a short period, and the expressions on their faces were enough to tell me what a bad dish I had served.

Three important facts about “making sense” which we may glean from the brief story above, are as follows;

• The best conversations are tailor-made for the audience.
  People who “make sense" put the audience first. Every listener/group of listeners have a unique way that they absorb information. Making good conversations begins by understanding how best to connect with each person. The type of illustrations you use, the selection of words, and even the body language must be full of empathy for the receiver of the message.

Making good conversations begins by understanding how best to connect with each person.

• The best conversations are more about quality, not quantity. Of course, you may be highly resourceful and there is ever so much to talk about. However, the more you talk, the less the additional information retained, and even worse, the less interested people get. Interestingly, some folks actually start making sense, but shoot themselves in the foot by unnecessarily prolonging the discussion.

Don’t overload the listener with too much information. Most times, less is better and more effective than more.

• Always leave room for responses. At times, it takes the comments of another to get you back on track when a conversation begins to derail from its intended course. Good conversations happen when the show is not entirely run by one person; each party contributes to the flow and exchange of information. So, when the vehicle is accelerating, do well to apply the brakes and allow inputs from the audience.

Let’s pause here…catch you in the next one!