Developing strong professional communication skills requires learning to express yourself in a clear, confident, and articulate manner. However, there are myriad other factors that come together to make a strong communicator that go beyond the words that you say and how you say them. Non-verbal communication, particularly posture, can greatly affect your message without saying a word.
The first rule of strong posture is one that you’ve likely been hearing since you were a child: Stand up straight! Although this is one of the simplest rules of strong posture, it is nonetheless constantly overlooked. To make sure that you’re standing as straight as you should be, envision a string running from your tailbone up through your spine and out the top of your head. Now, imagine that someone above you is lightly tugging on that string, pulling your body upright and into perfect alignment. This type of strong, straight-backed stance conveys confidence and professionalism and provides a commanding presence.
In addition to standing straight, you also want to take your stance into consideration. Make sure that your weight is distributed evenly between your feet, and that your feet are planted firmly on the ground. Shifting your weight back and forth or leaning can give the impression that you are unsure of yourself or uncomfortable. A firm, strong, physical stance leads others to believe that you are firm in your intellectual and professional stance as well, and gives the impression that you are confident and a natural leader.
If you want to sharpen your communication skills and polish your speech, you might benefit from the services of a corporate communications coach. Let our team of corporate speech-language pathologists help you reach your professional potential through strong communication. Give us a call at 212-308-7725 or visit us on the web at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com. Don’t live in NYC? No problem! Our services are Skype ready, so CSS can help you improve your communication from anywhere in the world.