As more and more of the workforce becomes educated, and more and more industries become automated, professionals find it difficult to stay competitive – to set themselves apart from everyone else. These days, the people who stand out from the pack are the ones with good communication skills.
Here is what the research says: professionals who can communicate in a way that is clear, relatable, and persuasive are the ones who are more likely to keep their jobs, earn pay raises, get promoted, and become leaders within organizations.
I’m Ben Crosby and as a professor of rhetoric and a professional communication trainer with two decades of experience, I study communication from both an academic and a real-world perspective. I’ve taught public speaking; competed in and coached debate; trained organizations of all shapes and sizes, from some of the world’s largest corporations to regional tech start-ups. It turns out, the ability to communicate with confidence and persuasion is not all that mysterious. It can be boiled down to a few skills that are surprisingly easy to learn. So, here are my objectives. By the time you finish this course, you will understand:
- How to prepare your mind to control communication anxiety
- How to use your body to signal trust
- How to control your voice to project confidence
- How to research and organize your message to generate the right amount of emotional and intellectual impact
- And finally, just for good measure, I’ll throw in a few extras: some often overlooked strategies that can make a big impression.