When I coach people in teams, I often ask an open ended question and let the other person speak. The less I speak, the more I can hear.
In meetings, everyone wants to speak and express. I usually speak last or only after I have gathered my thoughts in mind. Speaking less, paradoxically, means you get heard.
Thoughts have a tendency to flood our mind. Unless we practice, we will naturally speak at the speed of our thoughts. Which means, we will speak a lot.
The key to learning, understanding and analysing a situation is to speak less. Let the signals come to you while you are attentively silent.
And when you have to, speak clearly using less words. This takes practice but try to speak fewer words and shorter sentences without diluting the message.
Paradoxically, when you do that, your messages become powerful.
Finally, one of the most powerful ways to speak less is to speak slowly. Don’t rush your words. Take your time, pause between sentences, be calm and collected.
Speaking slowly is a sign of confidence and clarity. Speaking only when you are prepared is a sign of cognitive maturity. Not speaking (and listening) when other person is speaking is a sign of empathy.
Do this and see your communication skills go to the next level.
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