A thought by John C. Maxwell from his
book, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect.
(p. 60). HarpersCollins Leadership Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title
to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
Look around and see what is happening.
John says, “Pay attention to your surroundings.
Environment obviously plays an important role whenever we try to communicate
with other people. Have you ever tried to connect with someone who’s paying
more attention to the television than to you? Have you tried to have a
conversation in a loud area like a construction zone or during a concert? A
difficult environment can make it hard or even impossible to connect.
“If you desire to connect, you cannot
afford to ignore your environment. That’s true even if you have been asked to
speak professionally. You can’t assume that a setting is going to be conducive
for connecting, even if it was supposedly designed for communication. That’s
why I always try to see the venue beforehand anytime I’m booked for a speaking
engagement. I want to make sure nothing in the setup of the auditorium will
hinder my time with the audience.
“Steve Miller, my son-in-law, often
works with me when I speak, and he usually arrives on-site before I do. He
knows from experience what’s needed for me to be able to connect with people.
The first thing he checks is the proximity of the speaking area to the
audience. That’s very important to me. It can be hard to connect with an
audience if it feels as if there is a gulf between me and them. I think this is
true for many communicators. If you remember when Jay Leno became the host of
The Tonight Show, you may recall the changes he made not long after he took
over the show. When the host was Johnny Carson, he came out from behind a
curtain to deliver his monologue. That suited him because his style was
somewhat aloof. But that’s not typical for most speakers. When Leno took over,
he struggled the first few months. Why? Because the stage was not conducive to
his communication style. However, as soon as the stage was redesigned, it
worked for him. The curtain was removed, and a stage from which he could
deliver his monologue was built very close to the audience. In fact, when Leno
was hosting, whenever he was introduced, he shook hands with the front row of
the audience before he started telling jokes. A change in environment made all
the difference.
“The second thing Steve looks at is
the lighting. I want people to see me well on stage because I’m a visual
communicator. But I also want good lighting for the audience for two reasons: I
usually provide outlines and I want people to be able to take notes, and I want
to be able to see the audience while I speak. Many of my connecting skills are
responsive to others. When I see my audience well, I can sense what I need to
do in order to enhance their response.
John continues, “The third thing Steve
checks is the sound system. Poor sound makes communication nearly impossible. I
am continually amazed at the cheap sound systems that are provided in expensive
hotels for conferences. Many have nothing better than a goose-neck microphone
attached to a podium. Having to use that as a communicator is like an Olympic
swimmer trying to win a race with his hands and feet shackled. Not only is the
sound terrible, but it prevents the speaker from moving around or moving
forward into the audience.
“If you want to connect with others,
you need to be willing to make adjustments. If you’re trying to connect at home
with your spouse, turn off the television. If you’re planning to have lunch
with a colleague or client, pick someplace quiet enough for you to carry on a
conversation. If you’re in charge of a meeting or small group get-together,
pick the right room and make sure the setup works for everyone to be able to
connect. And if you’re preparing to speak to an audience, check the venue to
remove obstacles to connection. Once you’re already on stage, it will probably
be too late to make any changes. To connect effectively, take responsibility
for giving others the best chance to connect with you visually.”
The environment is very important, isn’t
it?
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