The ability to “talk the talk”—that is, to say the right things at the right time is, no doubt, a priceless skill. It’s also a brilliant gift—one that can inspire, touch the hearts of others, and make them remember us.

Eloquence has many proven benefits, but the greatest part about it is that it can be learned, with practice. Large part of making a lasting impression is, of course, to speak clearly and with confidence. But it all goes beyond the ability to have a small chat with all stripes of people or to become a good public speaker.

The talent to “talk the talk” is often the barometer of how much we (and our brand) are worth to ourselves and respectively—to the world. It reveals our confidence and how well we can market ourselves.

So how do we get there?

Scientists have long studied the topic—some of the advice we’ve been given is more intuitive than other. Below are helpful tips on how we can become a more seasoned speaker and keep others interested and engaged.

Expertise and Authority

The “easiest” way to project confidence when we speak is when it’s done from the position of authority or as an expert. We all tend to pay close attention to these individuals’ words and believe pretty much everything that they say. Because they “know their stuff.”

So, find your strengths and passions, and further develop them—become the best you can at what you do. You will gain others’ respect but this will also breed more confidence for you, as you notice that people pay attention to what you have to say and the knowledge you bring to the table.

Pausing, Emphasis and Fillers

It’s barely a secret that speaking too fast is a sign of anxiety.  Combine this with the use of multiple fillers as “uhm,” “you know” or “like,” and you’ve just lost large part of your credibility.

We often do it, though, when we fear we might get interrupted or objected to, and want to leave the other party no time to do so.

Furthermore, unless we are aiming at breaking the fast-speaking Guinness World record, rushing through thoughts and words will serve as an instant underminer of authority, as others will have a hard time following us.

Therefore, speak slower, make sure that you have a good idea about the message you want to relay, and if you need time to think, simply pause for a moment. No more “uhms.” Emphasis on certain words will also help to get across a message with more clarity. People tend to remember more when something is accentuated with a special intonation, a pause, etc.

The power of words

Rudyard Kipling once said: “Words, of course, are the most powerful drug known to mankind. Not only do words infect, egotize, narcotize, and paralyze, but they enter into and colour the minutest cells of the brain ….”

Marketing gurus also tell us that not all words are equal. Some are more powerful and influential than others, and can make us come across as more confident. For instance, research has found that using words as: Now, You, Results, Proven, Instantly or New, among few others, can have a greater impact and help influence people.

Interestingly, the most dangerous word in the world is no other than…”NO,” and it’s variations (can’t, won’t, don’t, etc.). It makes others perceive us in an unfavorable way and as someone who is not assertive enough.

So, be very wary of the language you use when you speak. Avoid using words which can provoke adverse reactions. For instance, instead of “I’ve failed” you can say “I still haven’t succeeded,” or use “I’ll take this away and find out,” rather than “I don’t know or I’m not sure.” It makes a tremendous difference.

The Power of Priming

There is a much buzzed about study by John Bargh, a professor of social psychology at Yale University on the power of priming. In his experiment from 1996, he asked a group of participants to read a series of scrambled words, such as “Florida,” “oranges,” “old,” and “wrinkle.” After that, part-takers were asked to walk to a close-by elevator. Those who were primed with “elderly” words walked about 20% slower than the ones who were primed with neutral words.

The lesson from the above story is that the ability to speak clearly and confidently is largely a mind game—that is, if you believe in yourself and trust that you are or can be self-assured, this is the image you will project to the world.

Often, our perceptions of ourselves find further expression in our gestures, posture, eye contact, the words we use, and so on.

Simply put, how we feel on the inside and what we believe to be true about our personalities—for instance, confident vs. insecure person, a good speaker or a bad one—is the main determinant of how well we can master and exhibit these skills and qualities.

In the end, we should remember that, frequently, the main ingredient we are missing— to be able to communicate effectively, to influence others and to speak with authority— is simply to give ourselves a little bit more of self-love and self-encouragement, as these can do wonders to our confidence and to the many esteem-linked aspects of our lives.

~Evelyn