September always brings about a certain buzz in the air, and this year, there's a little more to it than that. I've never seen kids so excited to get back to school! But against the backdrop of a global pandemic, there's also a lot of anxiety about the return - for kids and parents alike.
As a parent, I can certainly relate to it all. Whether or not your kids are going back in-person or-online, there is much uncertainty about what lies ahead.
As I grappled with my own messaging at home, I was reminded of a notion that I always stress in my presentation skills coaching:
Confidence is contagious
What you say, how you say it, and even the energy that you exude will rub off on the people around you. So if you've got kids heading back to school, it'll do them a world of good to know and feel that you are confident about how it's all going to play out.
As a speaker, if you want people to have faith in you, your words, and your message, you must project that confidence yourself. Whether you're selling a product, sharing your perspective or sitting a job interview, your confidence (or lack of it) has a huge impact on how your message is received.
So how do you project confidence? There are lots of things that you can do through verbal and non-verbal communication.
Non-verbal:
Straighten your posture, establish eye contact and relax your body. Incorporate gestures and movement to show that you are relaxed and comfortable.
Verbal:
What you say: Use assertive words like "I believe" and "I am confident" instead of "I think/feel". Strive to eliminate "ums, ahs" and other filler words.
How you say it: Pace yourself, speak clearly and LOUDLY. In fact, speaking loudly is one of the easiest ways to project confidence, whether you feel it or not.
And the good news is that all of these things can be done in a virtual setting.
If you're wondering how to establish eye contact when talking to a screen, check out this video.
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