verbal influence
Communication Flow is as Important as Cash Flow.
In order to sell a product, change a mind or save the world, we must first be heard.
We are all in the business of communication and it is a big business. A one percent improvement in communication translates into a two percent increase in revenue.(1)
Having verbal influence is more than saying the right thing – it’s about saying it in a way that gets others to listen, remember and act. Listening habits have changed in recent years and the effort required to get people to remember and act is staggering. Without clear, engaging communication skills, the audience can be indifferent or excited by what they hear and yet be unable to remember it later. To be effective, individuals must adapt their communication based on the learning/listening patterns of the audience.
Moreover, a large part of communication is our physiological reactions at each moment. Individuals can learn to optimize their physiology through deliberate practices that improve their ability to influence others.
(1) Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence. Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business School Press, 2004, p. 15