Managers can increase their credibility with staff, senior executives, clients and the public by strengthening their speaking and leadership communication skills. Fortunately, everyone can learn to be more dynamic and persuasive.

Simply by using the power of body language, you quickly increase your credibility and improve your ability to influence others with your ideas.

First impressions are crucial to credibility. In his excellent book, You are the Message, Roger Ailes points out that you must make a good impression within just a few seconds. In a job interview, Joyce Brothers says you have about 30 seconds to make a good impression.

Nonverbal communication (body language) is a key ingredient in first impressions. Your appearance and style make a big difference in how others see and respond to you. President George H. W. Bush certainly learned this well when he overcame the "wimp image" the media tagged him with before the first debate of his initial presidential campaign in 1988. Roger Ailes coached Bush on how to use nonverbal communications techniques effectively.

Everyone is familiar with the phrase: "It's not what you say, it's how you say it." Even though we know this bit of folk wisdom is true, few people heed it. Where do most of us spend our time when getting ready to guide employees, present a proposal to management or staff, or respond to a crisis? We work on the words, the content. How many actually rehearse the presentation of the ideas and critique it? Is it any wonder we do not do a better job of presenting our ideas?

Words are important. On the other hand, nonverbal communication carries most of meaning when you talk to another. Inflection (how the voice is used) also carries a significant portion of the meaning. You not only need to know what to say, it is very important to work on how you say it.

Here are some of the ways nonverbal messages are conveyed:

1. Tone of voice: Varying both volume and speed is important to make your voice interesting to others. Voices with a lower pitch have more authority than high-pitched voices.
2. Facial expressions: Smiling, good eye contact and listening have a strong positive effect on others.
3. Physical appearance and manner: Posture, handshake, gestures, energy level and use of humor affect your message delivery.
4. Dress: Neatness counts. Darker colors command more respect. Make sure shoes are shined. Conservative classic styles work best to get a good response from others.

• S is for smile. It is one of your best communication tools. It always helps you make a good first impression, and it helps make others want to listen to you. Most managers need to smile more.
• P is for posture. How you stand or sit makes a big difference. Your physical stance tells others how you feel about yourself. Confident people stand tall and sit straight.
• E is for eye contact. A person who is believable and honest "looks you right in the eye." Do not stare, but look at a person's face for at least three seconds before moving on to look at another person. If you are talking to a group, give your message to one person at a time. (This is important in the U.S. culture, but eye contact may have a very different meaning in another culture. If you are traveling abroad or meeting managers from other countries, learn the cultural differences. In most of the rest of the world, you do not give eye contact to show respect for the person.)
• A is for animation. Show you are interested in your subject with your energy and animation. Be enthusiastic. Animate your voice by speeding up and slowing down, talking louder and softer at times. Make your face animated. A is also for attitude. Make sure you feel good about yourself and what you are doing. It is a
  When is a Yellow Page Consultant Not Your Consultant?
  It’s strictly a matter of semantics. Notice the difference between “a” and “your.” It makes all the difference in the world. Let me explain. But first a word about my background.I was a Yellow Page consultant for almost 25 years. During my tenure, I advised various businesses on planning their programs. It involved recommending headings, sizes, directories, layouts, headlines, and other elements that could ultimately spell success or failure. These people relied on my judgment because I was the expert, They were busy running a business and delegated their insurance, accounting, legal issues, and advert
  ers says you have about 30 seconds to make a good impression.

  Nonverbal communication (body language) is a key ingredient in first impressions. Your appearance and style make a big difference in how others see and respond to you. President George H. W. Bush certainly learned this well when he overcame the "wimp image" the media tagged him with before the first debate of his initial presidential campaign in 1988. Roger Ailes coached Bush on how to use nonverbal communications techniques effectively.

  Everyone is familiar with the phrase: "It's not what you say, it's how you say it." Even though we know this bit of folk wisdom is true, few people heed it. Where do most of us spend our time when getting ready to guide employees, present a proposal to management or staff, or respond to a crisis? We work on the words, the content. How many actually rehearse the presentation of the ideas and critique it? Is it any wonder we do not do a better job of presenting our ideas?

  Words are important. On the other hand, nonverbal communication carries most of meaning when you talk to another. Inflection (how the voice is used) also carries a significant portion of the meaning. You not only need to know what to say, it is very important to work on how you say it.

  Here are some of the ways nonverbal messages are conveyed:

  1. Tone of voice: Varying both volume and speed is important to make your voice interesting to others. Voices with a lower pitch have more authority than high-pitched voices.
  2. Facial expressions: Smiling, good eye contact and listening have a strong positive effect on others.
  3. Physical appearance and manner: Posture, handshake, gestures, energy level and use of humor affect your message delivery.
  4. Dress: Neatness counts. Darker colors command more respect. Make sure shoes are shined. Conservative classic styles work best to get a good response from others.
  That is a lot to think about, but here is an easy way to remember what you need to do to increase your credibility. No matter how nervous you feel inside, using the following five tips will help you appear confident when you speak to others. When you speak, remember S.P.E.A.K.*
  • S is for smile. It is one of your best communication tools. It always helps you make a good first impression, and it helps make others want to listen to you. Most managers need to smile more.
  • P is for posture. How you stand or sit makes a big difference. Your physical stance tells others how you feel about yourself. Confident people stand tall and sit straight.
  • E is for eye contact. A person who is believable and honest "looks you right in the eye." Do not stare, but look at a person's face for at least three seconds before moving on to look at another person. If you are talking to a group, give your message to one person at a time. (This is important in the U.S. culture, but eye contact may have a very different meaning in another culture. If you are traveling abroad or meeting managers from other countries, learn the cultural differences. In most of the rest of the world, you do not give eye contact to show respect for the person.)
  • A is for animation. Show you are interested in your subject with your energy and animation. Be enthusiastic. Animate your voice by speeding up and slowing down, talking louder and softer at times. Make your face animated. A is also for attitude. Make sure you feel good about yourself and what you are doing. It is a
    How to Keep Customers For Life
    Being is business isn’t just about getting a customer, selling him something and moving onto the next one. It’s all about making sure that your customers keep coming back to you … and spend more money!But how can you make sure that your customers stay customers for life? What strategies can you put into practice to keep bringing them back for more? A planned customer retention programme is something every established small business should have in place. That sounds great, but what is a retention plan and what should it include?Do the GroundworkBefore starting a retention programme, you need to understand where
    Is it any wonder we do not do a better job of presenting our ideas?

    Words are important. On the other hand, nonverbal communication carries most of meaning when you talk to another. Inflection (how the voice is used) also carries a significant portion of the meaning. You not only need to know what to say, it is very important to work on how you say it.

    Here are some of the ways nonverbal messages are conveyed:

    1. Tone of voice: Varying both volume and speed is important to make your voice interesting to others. Voices with a lower pitch have more authority than high-pitched voices.
    2. Facial expressions: Smiling, good eye contact and listening have a strong positive effect on others.
    3. Physical appearance and manner: Posture, handshake, gestures, energy level and use of humor affect your message delivery.
    4. Dress: Neatness counts. Darker colors command more respect. Make sure shoes are shined. Conservative classic styles work best to get a good response from others.
    That is a lot to think about, but here is an easy way to remember what you need to do to increase your credibility. No matter how nervous you feel inside, using the following five tips will help you appear confident when you speak to others. When you speak, remember S.P.E.A.K.*
    • S is for smile. It is one of your best communication tools. It always helps you make a good first impression, and it helps make others want to listen to you. Most managers need to smile more.
    • P is for posture. How you stand or sit makes a big difference. Your physical stance tells others how you feel about yourself. Confident people stand tall and sit straight.
    • E is for eye contact. A person who is believable and honest "looks you right in the eye." Do not stare, but look at a person's face for at least three seconds before moving on to look at another person. If you are talking to a group, give your message to one person at a time. (This is important in the U.S. culture, but eye contact may have a very different meaning in another culture. If you are traveling abroad or meeting managers from other countries, learn the cultural differences. In most of the rest of the world, you do not give eye contact to show respect for the person.)
    • A is for animation. Show you are interested in your subject with your energy and animation. Be enthusiastic. Animate your voice by speeding up and slowing down, talking louder and softer at times. Make your face animated. A is also for attitude. Make sure you feel good about yourself and what you are doing. It is a
      Communication Skills - Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say
      In using our communication skills and abilities how we say something is just as important as what we say. Body language plays an extremely important part of our communication. In fact studies have been done showing that when we interact in a communication process the receiver actually receives 7% of the message verbally. The other 93% is received based on the non-verbal aspects of the message.How we dress, our gestures, facial expressions, posture and body movements are also being received when we verbally communicate with someone. That is why it is very important that our actions and non-verbal signals match what we are saying. Wh
      ss: Neatness counts. Darker colors command more respect. Make sure shoes are shined. Conservative classic styles work best to get a good response from others.
    That is a lot to think about, but here is an easy way to remember what you need to do to increase your credibility. No matter how nervous you feel inside, using the following five tips will help you appear confident when you speak to others. When you speak, remember S.P.E.A.K.*
    • S is for smile. It is one of your best communication tools. It always helps you make a good first impression, and it helps make others want to listen to you. Most managers need to smile more.
    • P is for posture. How you stand or sit makes a big difference. Your physical stance tells others how you feel about yourself. Confident people stand tall and sit straight.
    • E is for eye contact. A person who is believable and honest "looks you right in the eye." Do not stare, but look at a person's face for at least three seconds before moving on to look at another person. If you are talking to a group, give your message to one person at a time. (This is important in the U.S. culture, but eye contact may have a very different meaning in another culture. If you are traveling abroad or meeting managers from other countries, learn the cultural differences. In most of the rest of the world, you do not give eye contact to show respect for the person.)
    • A is for animation. Show you are interested in your subject with your energy and animation. Be enthusiastic. Animate your voice by speeding up and slowing down, talking louder and softer at times. Make your face animated. A is also for attitude. Make sure you feel good about yourself and what you are doing. It is a
      Machine Shops
      Machine shops are places where engineers or mechanics design and fabricate finished parts from metals, and repair machines of various types. The machines may be domestic appliances, bicycles, complicated four-wheelers or even airplanes. The job may involve repairing a malfunctioning part or replacing a non-functional part with a new one. Repairing a malfunctioning part may require many technical or mechanical operations to put it back into working condition. The mechanical operations can include grinding, welding, cutting, and turning to bring it back to its operational shape. Some operations may require advanced multiple skills and exper
      for eye contact. A person who is believable and honest "looks you right in the eye." Do not stare, but look at a person's face for at least three seconds before moving on to look at another person. If you are talking to a group, give your message to one person at a time. (This is important in the U.S. culture, but eye contact may have a very different meaning in another culture. If you are traveling abroad or meeting managers from other countries, learn the cultural differences. In most of the rest of the world, you do not give eye contact to show respect for the person.)
    • A is for animation. Show you are interested in your subject with your energy and animation. Be enthusiastic. Animate your voice by speeding up and slowing down, talking louder and softer at times. Make your face animated. A is also for attitude. Make sure you feel good about yourself and what you are doing. It is almost impossible to get someone excited about your product or service if you are not excited yourself.
    • K is for kinetics or motion. Use your hands and arms to make gestures that support your words. Use two-handed, symmetrical gestures, and hold your hands high when gesturing - at about the chest level.
    Remember S.P.E.A.K. when you speak, and you will boost your credibility in conversations and presentations. You will be much more persuasive, and people will respond more favorably to you and your ideas.