Don’t get stressed about your words
There is a lot of advice written about choosing your words carefully, using correct sentences and power words. And this advice is often given with good intentions. However, when we get stressed about sentence structure, the words we use and grammar, we begin to forget about our story and start sounding scripted.
For the most part we are not politicians giving speeches. We are business people and college students giving presentations about a product or service. The best presentations always come across like a conversation with the audience and when we have a conversation with our friends or coworkers we are not stressing about the words we are using. In fact when we take too much care about our sentences and words we prevent our natural personality from shining through and this makes our presentation sound flat.
It is of course important to be understood, and there are rules about rubbishing your competition, but this should not prevent you from using the vocabulary you are familiar and comfortable with. When you use your natural vocabulary, your natural personality comes through and when you give a presentation this is so important. Allowing your natural personality out, will bond you more positively with your audience.
So. next time you are preparing your presentation, drop those unfamiliar sounding and abstract words, and use your natural vocabulary. You and your audience will have a much closer relationship and you will feel much more relaxed.
Good point, although I don’t think it wise to not consider the words you use at all. Language can be a powerful tool when used correctly, and things like using positive vocabulary can make a huge difference.
That said, there is no point in over-complicating a message. Using long words and jargon that the audience do not understand will only confuse them. I would argue that the best way forward is to simplify what you say, but not to disregard the way you say it.
Hi Jessica, and thank you for leaving a comment on my blog.
I agree with you completely. The language we use is a very powerful tool, and should be used to it’s full advantage.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and for leaving such a great comment.