Human Connection And Powerful Communication
In a recent study, 94% of employees shared they’re at their most productive when they feel a strong connection with their colleagues. It makes sense. We do better work when we’re around people we like, who understand us, and make work enjoyable.
Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a Soulcast Media | LIVE event on LinkedIn, where she interviewed Human Connection Specialist, Simone Heng.
They shared tips and personal stories about human connection and powerful communication tips. Here are a few tips to make sure you’re connecting with whomever you’re speaking with:
Humanize The Experience – Whether we’re giving a presentation or sharing our idea in a meeting, we often feel the pressure to make a stellar impression. While impressions are important, when we start obsessing over who we’re speaking with and their fancy titles, we tend to not see the experience as a human experience. It’s why imagining ourselves having a conversation can take the edge off of it. So, think of yourself as having a conversation with “Jennifer,” not the “Senior Vice President.” Or, “John,” not the “Director of Business Strategy.” This simple shift in perspective can take the pressure off needing to impress people. It’s a breath of fresh air that can minimize an already stressful situation.
Focus On The Audience – It’s a common trap when presenting or chatting with colleagues that we talk from the perspective of us. But if we want to connect with our audience, we need to think about them and what they care about. It’s helpful to ask ourselves these questions before an important meeting:
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- Who is going to be there?
- What do they care about?
- When I make my point, how can I bring it back to the things they want to know?
To connect, we need to shift our focus to our audience. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Simone shared how early on, she used to focus so much on her wardrobe and how she looked, instead of thinking about her audience. Was her dress ok? Was her hair ok? This focus distract us from thinking about what really matters: our audience. Tip: wear comfortable clothing!
A Genuine Smile – Research has shown that people who have happier faces are seen as more trustworthy. When people trust us, they are more willing to connect and listen to us. But here’s the thing, there’s a difference between a social smile vs a genuine smile. For many of us, we may not think of our smile this way, but we know the difference when we see it. Social smiling is when our lips form the shape of a smile, but nothing else on our face shows we’re happy. A genuine smile, on the other hand, is when our cheeks rise and our eyes narrow. If we combine smiling with raising our eyebrows, also known as the eyebrow flash, we can also increase our likability when engaging with others. When it comes to building a connection with others, think smiling because it can build trust.
Check out Jessica’s Youtube Channel if you want to see the full version of this Soulcast Media | LIVE conversation.
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