Dale Carnegie is one of the most recognized figures on public speaking, career development, and leadership. I took the Dale Carnegie Training Public Speaking course earlier this year and found it to be an incredibly valuable learning opportunity.
These are some of the key things I learned that you can use to effectively communicate your ideas and become a stronger leader:
How to add value with every conversation.
Telling personal anecdotes is one of the best ways you can engage others with the message you want to communicate. This allows you to build rapport with the person you’re speaking with by letting them see a more personal, human side to you and letting them know more about you. More often than not, people will react positively to this and will feel encouraged to share something about themselves as well. Adding a conclusion or talking about your key takeaway form your experience will add even more value and impact to your story.
How to connect genuinely with others.
Questions over comments. If you really want to create a genuine connection with the person you’re talking to, focus on asking them questions about themselves. This can be anything about their background, hobbies, interests, etc. Then use the information they share with you to build on your conversation. This shows you’re interested and care about who they are and what they have to say.
How to empower others.
Similar to the idea of “fake it till you make it”, the best way to empower others is to give them a reputation they would want to live up to. When people hear that you perceive them to have positive attributes like confidence, efficiency, ambition, they’ll be motivated to want to live up to that idea.
How to be a great leader.
Good leaders tell others what to do, great leaders empower others to take actions on their own. If you want to be a great leader, start with giving honest praise. Show them you appreciate them and notice their work and accomplishments. Don’t talk about mistakes, instead phrase things as “opportunities for improvements” and provide constructive feedback on how people can do better.
Whether you’re in a meeting, at a networking event, or at a bar, implementing these principles will allow you to create deeper connections with everyone you interact with. As a result, you’ll be able to nurture genuine relationships personally and professionally.
