Communication Mini-Course by Alex Lyon

Introduction

• Course Objective: Develop concise, clear, and confident communication skills.
• Structure: Seven-part series with practical exercises.

Lesson 1: Overcoming Long-Windedness

• Key Point: Long-windedness is detrimental to communication.
• Strategy 1: Resolve why you might talk too much.
  • Consider insecurity, self-centeredness, desire for attention, etc.
• Strategy 2: Gauge your long-windedness on a scale.
  • Aim to move below a 5.
• Strategy 3: Commit to conciseness.
  • Benefits include better attention, retention, impact, and leadership.

Lesson 2: Forming a Concise Overall Message

• Concise Tip: Keep messages tight.
  • Avoid preambles and get to the heart of the message.
• Strategy 1: Skip to the heart of the message.
  • Use "Need to Know" vs. "Nice to Know".
• Strategy 2: Make your point and then zip it.
  • Allow room for conversation.
• Strategy 3: Finish under time.
  • Respect time limits to be seen as concise.

Lesson 3: Using Short Sentences

• Concise Tip: Use short sentences to sound clear and confident.
• Strategy 1: Shave words.
  • Remove non-essential words for clarity.
• Strategy 2: Use plain English.
  • Simplify vocabulary to avoid unnecessary complexity.

Lesson 4: Organizing Your Thoughts

• Key Point: Organize thoughts into clear points.
• Strategy 1: Break messages into 2-3 chunks.
  • Use logical patterns like cause and effect, chronological order.
• Strategy 2: State your roadmap.
  • Forecast points aloud and provide structure.

Lesson 5: Effective Pauses

• Concise Tip: Use pauses for emphasis.
• Strategy 1: Pause at the end of sentences.
  • Helps listeners process and remember.
• Strategy 2: Avoid mid-thought pauses.
  • Prevents the message from dragging.
• Strategy 3: Pause to separate key ideas.
  • Use pauses to list ideas clearly.

Lesson 6: Avoiding Fillers

• Concise Tip: Avoid fillers to enhance clarity and confidence.
• Common Fillers: um, uh, you know, so.
• Strategy 1: Identify your filler habits.
  • Listen to yourself, ask others for feedback.
• Strategy 2: Replace fillers with pauses.
  • Use pauses to gather thoughts instead of fillers.

Lesson 7: Confident Non-Verbals

• Tip: Confident non-verbals enhance your message.
• Strategy 1: Use direct eye contact.
  • Aim for 80% in conversations, 99% in presentations.
• Strategy 2: Avoid uptalk.
  • Ensure statements sound like statements, not questions.
• Strategy 3: Smile.
  • Warm up facial expressions to appear confident.

Conclusion

• Practice: Watch lessons multiple times to form habits.
• Final Thought: Motivation starts, but habit keeps you going.