Break Free — Unlock the Powerful Communicator in You is my new book which has been published; and you can guess from the title that it has got to do with becoming a powerful communicator. At the outset, let me explain the key differences between communication, being a communicator and being a powerful communicator.
The difference
Now, imagine that an important group project has been announced. If you message your group members or tell them that a project has been announced, that is communication. If you explain a bit about the project, the expected deliverables and share some ideas about the project, you are being a communicator, since you are sending across the complete message.
If you were to visualise the outcome of the project, the benefits the group stands to gain from that and share this imagery of success with the group members, thereby motivating them to give their best, you can claim to be a powerful communicator.
Very simply put, the difference is in how you pass on the message: whether you share just the basic details, complete details or motivate the group to work towards a common goal.
That is why all successful people, especially leaders, are powerful communicators.
The ‘how’
During the launch of the book, I raised a query — can people be taught to become powerful communicators? If yes, how can it be done? The ensuing panel discussion threw up the following important points, which will help you communicate more effectively.
Understand the difference : A person can be taught to become a powerful communicator, but the individual should understand the importance of becoming a communicator, instead of just communicating. Next, the individual should passionately aspire to become a powerful communicator. Most people do not know the difference between communicating and being a powerful communicator, which is why they don’t work towards becoming the latter.
Use tools and aids : Once a person is aware of this differentiation and aspires to become a powerful communicator, tools and aids (books like Break Free) come into the picture. They can learn about various elements and influences that help create a powerful communicator.
Walk the talk : Most importantly, those wanting to communicate effectively should walk the talk by practising what they learn. This becomes especially important and crucial in this context because the individual is not only learning something new in terms of becoming a communicator but has also to unlearn old habits of just communicating. This can happen only through conscious and consistent practice.
The panel also had an interesting perspective on how communicating effectively is closely linked to a person’s success. Although everyone aspires to be successful, ironically, they tend to ignore the reality that success requires them to be powerful communicators. Therefore, the panel's suggestion was that everyone should understand this strong correlation — between being a powerful communicator and being successful — and this would automatically motivate people to work towards being a powerful communicator, helping them Break Free to success.
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