Some speakers pay close attention to their audience, whether it’s a crowded auditorium or just one person, while others may talk to the audience without knowing when to stop.
In every office, family, or organization, there is someone who doesn’t know when to be quiet. People listen out of politeness and politeness, but they secretly fear the arrival of the windbag and wish they could say, “Would you please be quiet?”
If you want to be sure that you will never bore people to tears and that people will always be willing to listen to you, try the following techniques:
An advert. Pay close attention to your listener(s). Look for body language and subtle cues that your audience has heard enough. When you see signs of boredom or disinterest, it’s time to be quiet! Or you could try talking about something more interesting.
B. Be aware. Control the time you spend talking and limit yourself to a few minutes… even if you haven’t said everything you want to say. People most likely don’t want to hear it, anyway. And you will avoid preaching or falling into a long soliloquy.
C.Switch. Make sure you give people equal time. If you’re used to talking most of the time, maybe it’s time for a change. Switch from talking to listening. A good rule of thumb is to spend as much time listening as you do talking, if not more!
Make sure your exchange with the other person goes both ways, and not just one way, with you talking the entire time. Listen and let the person say what they think. Ask questions. Take time to reflect on what the other person is saying.
If you dominate conversations, people will resent you and avoid you.
You will win more friends and influence more people by being a good listener than a good conversationalist. Good talkers are everywhere, but truly good listeners are quite rare.
Avoid using flashy words and sentences… they don’t really impress people. Communicate simply and clearly in your listener’s language.
case example
A co-worker recently told a group of us about her harrowing weekend where everything went wrong, and she kept going, even though people started losing interest. Some of the signs he missed were people shifting in their chairs, yawning, scratching their heads, frequently drinking from their mugs, staring into space, and apologizing for various reasons.
What was the mistake you made?
She was hyper-focused on her story. He didn’t notice the telltale signs that people were getting tired and wanted him to stop.
Good communicators are good listeners and observers. They discern signals and react accordingly. Knowing when to stop is a valuable and endearing trait that will help you succeed in any social setting.
Once you get the hang of it, your brain will switch attention between the message you’re delivering and the ever-changing behavior of the audience. You need to constantly monitor the listener’s behavior so that you always know how it’s going and you won’t miss the most important cues.
It will be easier to visually track your listener’s responses if you maintain good eye contact. Whatever you do, avoid immersing yourself in yourself or your story. Ask yourself what your listener wants…and be sensitive to their needs.
To ensure you never bore, watch your listener closely and know when to change the subject or stay quiet – you’ll be a more effective communicator who knows how to make people happy.