What Will You Learn this Year?

If you started a new exercise routine on January 1st, statistically this is the week you give it up. Here at Point Taken, we have been working on a way to keep our New Year’s resolutions – that is to have each of us learn a new skill in 2015.

Earlier this week, I stumbled upon a story in TechTimes about Mark Zuckerberg’s use of crowdsourcing to decide just what his resolution would be. Suggestions came pouring in on Facebook and they ranged from recording a hip-hop album to planting a tree for each new user added on Facebook this year. While Zuckerberg ultimately decided he would read one new book every other week and journal it on Facebook, most of the suggestions involved learning a new, very specific skill.

This got me thinking. If improving your communication skills is on your list, we should talk. There are so many elements that can be worked on to make you a more effect and dynamic communicator overall.

Some communication skills to perfect this year –

• Getting your audience engaged from the very beginning. Work on incorporating proven techniques to elicit audience interaction such as storytelling, polling or a lively question and answer session.
• Start looking at your content structure in a whole new way. Create a “story plan” to make your content stand out. Regardless of how technical your content is, laying out a communication piece – whether it is written or spoken always makes a bigger impact than winging it.
• Master the podium using skills and practice techniques that make you appear confident, credible and even likable in front of your audience.
• Develop better body language to support the message you are trying to convey. By starting to recognize when you are leaning in to show your interest or resisting crossing your arms while presenting, you can ensure that your audience receives your message with the appropriate tone.

As we work at sticking to our own resolutions, we wish Zuckerberg luck with his challenge this year. Maybe he should take a look at Point Taken’s recommended reading list to help reach his goal?