- Here are five tips, some DOs and DON'Ts to become more articulate. Number one, build your vocabulary so you can use the right
word at the right time. So already we're talking
about a misunderstood point. I'm not saying use lots of fancy words. In fact, I'm generally against that. The point of a larger
vocabulary that exists first and foremost in your head
is that it allows you to use what we say is the right
word at the right time. The most helpful word the more potential
words you have available in your mental library. The better position you are
to communicate your ideas with precision in the moment. And that's what articulate sounds like. That way you can express yourself well and you're not stuck
searching for the right word. But in contrast, to be clear I do not recommend loading
up your conversations with unnecessarily fancy
words, as I'll call them. That won't create the impression
that you are articulate. I know some people who are
constantly using big words and it feels as if they're
trying to impress people. I've heard this described as sounding insecure or trying too hard. So in terms of how often
to use a vocabulary word here's my recommendation or rule of thumb limit yourself to one
fancy word per conversation the best way to build your vocabulary are by reading, circling
words that are unfamiliar and then looking them up. I used to circle and look
up about one word per page. When I was in my twenties in reading we used to use a real
dictionary, an actual book and I still look up two or three or more words a day on Google. It takes just a few seconds. You can also use a vocabulary
app that teaches you about one new word per day. And when you learn a new word use that word a few
times that same day, even if you're just practicing
sentences aloud to yourself. Number two, practice
explaining complex ideas in plain language, in contrast. You don't want to be
long-winded or use lots of technical terms,
multiplying words or using lots of industry specific terms
or acronyms is almost never seen as articulate
because it confuses listeners. If people don't understand
what you're talking about they will not see you as articulate. But when people speak
clearly and concisely they sound smooth and will
often be considered articulate because they express themselves coherently in a way that's easy to follow. This is a valuable skill
that takes time to develop. It's not a quick fix. There's an old expression that's credited to Richard Feynman, a
physicist from the 1960s. This is a paraphrase, but it's his idea. "If you can't give a freshman
level lecture on a subject then you don't really understand it." And the key ingredients to a so-called freshman level
lecture are plain language concise sentences and clear main points. And it's a balancing act. It's more of an art than a science. But at the heart of it your goal should be to
explain yourself plainly without oversimplifying a subject so much that you neglect the
most important features. The best way to improve
this skill is to slow down and prepare what you'd
like to say ahead of time. This is almost the same
process you use when you revise an important email a
few times before you click send draft out your thoughts ahead of time. Literally practice aloud a
few times to hone your message and say it more directly each time until it's clear, concise, and smooth. Just a few repetitions and revisions will make
a huge difference when you eventually talk face-to-face in your meeting or important conversation. Number three, support ideas with evidence and give concrete specifics. It's very common today for some people to attempt to add weight to their message by voicing their opinion with a strong attitude insistence
or an elevated emotion. That's fair enough. There's a place for emotions but I've rarely heard
those individuals described as articulate, to be considered
articulate by others. It's much better to support your ideas with information like statistics,
facts, examples, stories and real life illustration. This demonstrates some
depth in your knowledge and a logical connection
between your point and the evidence you use
to support your point. The idea is you state
your main point clearly and then immediately follow up with an example of statistic story or other details that shows
your fluency on the subject. And four, a related skill to demonstrate that you're articulate is to
be able to explain both sides of an issue equally well. Articulating both sides
demonstrates your critical thinking and mental agility. So let's say you were in a
situation where you're speaking with your supervisor or a
client and you wanna ask for something, you're asking
for approval or support of some kind. Professionals are constantly
building a case and asking for something, but most
people only explain all of the benefits or reasons
to go along with an idea. But if part of your goal
is to be more articulate you should get better explaining
the upsides or benefits and the potential downsides or costs. Some people call this a
cost benefit analysis where you're explaining the pros
and the cons, or you're asking them to choose between
option A and option B. And once you've explained both sides you'd recommend whatever
course of action you personally favor, so after looking at
both sides, you'd simply ask on balance, I believe
option A is the right choice because it has the best
upside and the most acceptable downside. In most cases, your
boss or client will ask about the downsides eventually. Either way, you might as well
prepare those talking points beforehand and get additional credit for being a careful, intelligent
thinker and communicator. The good news is you can also do this in almost any group discussion, even if it's not advocating
for a specific direction or you have nothing to
lose or gain by doing so. Just as an exercise you can practice articulating
the upside and downside of almost any big decision
the group is considering and increase your level
of fluency on any topic. It will add value to most discussions and help you become more
articulate in the long run. Number five, answer questions directly. Direct answers come across as confident like you know what you think
and you know how to say it. This could be either after a presentation or in a regular meeting or conversation. When people ask a question,
they want a direct answer but answering questions
can be a huge challenge for most people. This is often where we fall apart. We may not even be sure
what they're asking in the first place, and then
we start answering the question before we know how to get to the point. So as a result, our answers often end up weaving around and we
have obvious disfluencies like hesitations and
filler words built in. And we may never get to the point because we don't wanna say something wrong or our answers end up sounding confusing rather than articulate. The key to answering questions
well is to keep it concise stay outta trouble. As I like to say, presentations
may be a monologue but Q&A should be a dialogue. Make Q&A a back and forth conversation,
in a normal conversation. For instance, over coffee,
each person typically talks for about two to three sentences and then it's the other
person's turn to talk. Use that same approach for Q&A. Here's what that would look like if we visualize this as writing. When somebody asks a question strive to answer in
two or three sentences. If you're too short and just give one or two word answers that
could come across as clipped like you are closed off and
you don't want to talk about it but you also don't wanna speak too long and give answers that look like entire paragraphs
that will begin to sound like you're rambling. Now, if there really is a lot to say then let that same amount
of overall information come out in the course of a
back and forth conversation in smaller bite sized chunks
rather than one long monologue. So to sum this one tip
up to sound articulate. Listen to the question, pause for a few seconds and take a breath while you form a concise
answer in your head and then answer directly
in two or three sentences. And that answer should be delivered in a tone that leaves the door open for a follow-up questions
and further conversation if the other person wants to pursue it. So here's a summary of the tips. I'm confident that if you get better at these
communication practices other people will almost instantly see you as more articulate, but
you'll have to practice them over time to make them habits. Feel free to take a look
at the description below for the various resources,
including a free PDF download of the top five communication skills that every professional should have. I look forward to reading and responding to your comments below. Until next time, thanks, God
bless, and I'll see you soon.
