Are you where you want to be? Have you improved your verbal and non-verbal communication from where you began lastyear? Are you influential Monday to Monday?
Influence is a choice and there are no “quick fixes.” If you hold yourself accountable by seeking feedback and then practicing, you will see positive changes fairly quickly. You will begin to notice how good it feels to authentically connect with your listeners, to powerfully facilitate a meeting and to deliver a message with confidence. The leaders whom my team and I coach consistently report seeing immediate improvements, such as noticeable changes in how their team responds to them, increased sales and getting more appointments with prospects and customers.
Before you dive into the next item on your to-do list, slow down, take a breath and complete these 3 steps to begin improving your day-to-day communication.
- Ask yourself what you will commit to for the next three months to make sure you have more influence Monday to Monday.
- Think about who you will ask today to be your accountability partner, someone who will make sure you honor your own commitments.
- Write down your three commitments and post in a location where you will see these every day, all day.
- Share your three commitments with your accountability partner and check in weekly on your progress.
- Create reminders on your calendar to check your own progress.
As you see initial results, your commitment will grow. As your commitment grows, you will be even more willing to ask for feedback and to practice, and you will see even greater results. It is an upward spiral that leads to sustained influence. In time, communicating with influence will naturally become part of who you are and what you do every day, in much the same way that consistent diet and exercise lead to sustained health. When you see the positive results, you will never want to go back to your old habits.
If you need an extra push, check out Darren Hardy’s video: Shine Your Coat.
Drop me a note to share what steps you will take this week to prevent getting stuck in the same old routines from your past. Tag me on my Facebook page.
