Jeff Krock

How can you be heard by others — especially in these times when the minds of many are overloaded with information and their schedules are so full?

Simply stated: get grounded, and speak in short simple sentences saying exactly what you want to accomplish. Creating these focused sentences helps you clear your mind and clarify what you want. Clarity is easier to speak and short sentences are easier to both hear and understand.

Common ways of verbal communication often include needless complexity such as: talking around things rather than getting to the point; pushing your perspective in order to win; talking to prove that you are intelligent. All of these cause people to react and become more distant.

Steps for being heard:

1. Get grounded by resting into your body and feeling what your body is resting against.
2. Know the result that you want before you speak.
3. Phrase your communication in short sentences, never more than nine words. Three sentences at the most. Less is generally better.
4. Give up believing that being direct is impolite.
5. Be calmly direct and then be quiet. Give the other person time to respond, if a response is needed. If not, move on to the next thing.
6. Use this approach when something needs to be accomplished. Social conversations are something quite different.

You are always transmitting your state of being. When you are ambiguous, superior, controlling, or talking in circles, you cause a reaction in other people. You become more distant from each other, less connected.

When you are grounded and know what you want to accomplish, you are more connected with yourself. When you are more connected with yourself, others are more comfortable with you and with themselves. The pathway to clear communication is open.