Back in the Dark Ages, when I was training as an opera singer, I spent hundreds, if not thousands of pounds on voice lessons. I knew it was something that had to be done (everyone’s doing it so it must be!), and I was desperate to become the best singer I could be. Despite my fairly dire financial situation, on I ploughed, doing the 'right thing'... dutifully attending my singing lessons... being a good student... shelling out more and more cash (I must be improving, right? After all, I’m spending all this money!).
Looking back with compassion at my younger self, I realise that this was an immensely inefficient use of my money, and it taught me something very important that I now use at The Authentic Communicator Global (ACG) as part of the ACG promise. This was:
THE POWER OF MEASURABLE RESULTS
The missing components in my progress were:
- Knowing exactly what I’d learned.
- Knowing that I was improving (which improves confidence).
- Knowing exactly how I’d improved (which also improves confidence).
If we end a course not knowing these things, then in my mind, that course has failed.
So how do we measure results in the seemingly enigmatic art of communication?
GOALS – VERY SPECIFIC ONES!
How do we know we’ve got better, if we don’t know exactly what we’re trying to get better at? Too often, our goals are non-specific, for example:
- “I would like to become a more engaging public speaker.”
A good coach will spend time with you refining more specific goals, for example:
- “By session 8, I will consistently be able to use a wider range of vocal expression, including pitch, emphasis, speed and volume, to convey my message engagingly.”
Goals might also be feelings based. For example:
- “By session 8, I will feel significantly more confident in my ability to speak well under pressure.”
MEASURE WHERE YOU ARE AT THE START
To know where we’ve got to, we must know where we came from. That’s why making a record at the start of your journey can be really useful. I will often take voice or video recording of a client, or a numerical measure of feelings, in our first session. I might ask, for example: ‘how confident, between one and ten, do you feel about your ability to use a wide range of vocal expression?’.
MEASURE THE IMPROVEMENT
This is where the real fun really begins. Witness your improvement by meeting a specific target that your coach has set for your final session. For example, I might set this goal for session 8:
- "By session 8, you will be able to deliver and record a 3-minute presentation, using engaging vocal expression to land your message with confidence. Within those 3 minutes, there will be examples of variation of intonation, emphasis, speed and volume, which you will use easily and effectively to engage the listener."
CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES
When you see even the smallest improvements, celebrate those successes big time! You deserve to give yourself huge credit for working towards, and meeting, your goals. I sometimes suggest a client buys themselves a little cake, or a special coffee on the way home after a great session. What could you do to give yourself just a little more love for all that you have achieved? Sometimes it’s a simple as a whispered: ‘well done, me!’.
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