Ducktails and other rhetorical pests

In this blog post, you will read about two serious rhetorical and verbal shortcomings, how to avoid them and learn better rhetoric. You will learn why ducktails and garland sets prevent the attention of your audience and what you can do about it. You'll learn five practical tips on how to get your audience's or team's attention time and time again, and how to use your voice to send the right relationship signals.

Listening with obstacles

Do you know this? You want to listen, are interested in the content, but something in the voice, the way you speak, the way you speak prevents you?

It is late morning, the conference has begun at nine o'clock, outside the exclusive hotel near Munich the sun is shining brightly. I'm sitting at a round table at the back of the large lecture room. My lecture on the “Macht der Stimme im Business” ist nach der Mittagspause an der Reihe, ich habe mich jedoch entschlossen, schon von Beginn an mit dabei zu sein, um zu erfassen, wo wohl die heiklen Momente in der Kundenkommunikation liegen werden.

About four hundred employees have been invited, and the two project managers, who had presented their plans for the coming year, are just leaving the stage. Sparse applause.

The lady sitting at the table to my right turns to me and says angrily: “Das wäre so ein spannendes Thema – aber man kann den beiden ja einfach nicht zuhören!”

First step: Self-knowledge

You may also ask yourself sometimes, “Weshalb bemerkt er das jetzt nicht selbst?”or “Wieso sagt ihr das denn niemand?”or “Weshalb gehen die nicht einfach Rheorik lernen?” Nun, als Wirtschaftsstimmcoach muss ich die angesprochenen Redner jetzt fast in Schutz nehmen. Denn Sprechen fällt in die Kategorie “Unbewusste Kompetenzen”! Wir haben es von Kind an geübt. Daraus resultiert: Wir sprechen, ohne darüber viel nachzudenken. Es ist den wenigsten Menschen bewusst, dass Sprechen die am aufwändigsten automatisierte Gewohnheit unserer Spezies darstellt. Schon um ein einzelnes Wort zu sprechen, müssen Atmung, Körpersprache und Gestik, die Gedanken, das Gehör etc. miteinander kooperieren. Das klappt nur mit viel Übung und jahrelanger Wiederholung. Am Ende ist eine Gewohnheit entstanden, eine Handlungsroutine, eine “Unbewusste Kompetenz” eben.

Sprechen geschieht “Autopilot-gesteuert”

Auf die Details der Ausführung haben wir kaum mehr Zugriff. Das macht nicht nur Veränderungen so schwer, sondern auch – als ersten Schritt zur Verbesserung – das Erkennen von Unzulänglichkeiten. Jede Gewohnheit wird vom inneren “Autopiloten” als “normal” gewertet – das Bauchgefühl macht daraus flugs “richtig”.

From coaching clients I hear again and again sentences like: “Danke, Herr Fischbacher, dass Sie mich so schonungslos darauf hinweisen! Das war mir so nicht klar! Ich habe mich im Lauf meines Lebens sehr wohl mit Rhetoric learning and I dealt a lot with presentation techniques – but no one has yet been able to point out the pitfalls of voice and speech technique!

Practical tip:

• Simply record your presentation with your mobile phone at the next opportunity and pay meticulous attention to distracting details. Learn the shortcomings of your Rhetoric know.
• Free consultation: Take the opportunity for an analysis discussion with your coach. Reserve your desired date on https://arno-fischbacher.com/coaching

When the unrest in the hall begins

Back to the lecture hall in Munich. How was it noticeable that the audience did not really pay full attention to the two project managers? Perhaps you have already experienced this when a little unrest arises in the back rows of a large hall. When the noise level in the hall then rises very slowly, the speakers notice it, can't quite hide their irritation and try to win back their audience with commitment, but probably with unsuitable means?

Verbessern kann sich jemand erst, wenn der Engpass definiert ist. Im Falle der beiden Projektleiter in München hatte ich die Aufmerksamkeits-Killer rasch dingfest gemacht. Die vielen “Entenschwänzchen” waren es, die Unlust zuzuhören verursachten: so nennen wir jene immer wieder notorisch am Satzende nach oben hochgezogene Sprechmelodie, die uns als Zuhörer deutlich signalisiert, dass ohnehin gleich der nächste Satz kommt und wir deshalb nicht reagieren müssen.

Garland Sets

Ein gravierender Vorbereitungsfehler ist die Ursache, gepaart mit der nervlichen Anspannung durch das große Auditorium. Und schon beschleunigten die Sprecher, binden einen Satz nach dem anderen mit dem Wörtchen “und” aneinander und hindern uns als Zuhörer daran, die einzelnen spannenden Gedanken, Ergebnisse und Resultate auch in ihrer ganzen Tragweite zu verstehen und zu bewerten.

This vicious circle has already been created. On the one hand, these widespread linguistic inadequacies ("ducktails" and "and-ties", together also known as "garland sets") cause more and more tension ("speech pressure") in the speaker himself. On the listener's side, this way of speaking prevents active thinking. And if the proverbial penny can't drop, the speech hardly elicits any reactions from the audience. Neither a small nod nor a quiet smile show the speaker that his words have been received.

Practical tips:

• At the beginning of your presentation, refrain from empty phrases, impersonal greetings and "I"-heavy self-introductions.
• Surprise your audience with a clever question that goes straight to the heart of your topic.
  Don't talk to your audience, but with it. Make sure that the word "you" appears in your first sentence and ensures that it is addressed directly.
• Especially important if you want to convey a lot of facts – like the speakers in the example from Munich – your audience can only understand facts and figures from the context.
• Give an example, make a comparison that makes you curious about your facts and figures. Then ask a clever question, which you will then answer yourself with your important information.

Treacherously impersonal voices

Voice creates mood, they say ... or not! In the current example, the voices of the two speakers on stage became more and more impersonal, a little higher, sounded less modulated. I am sure that both sides – actors and listeners – did not consciously perceive this. But it did its effect... because voice has power!

Many of the speaking habits that make life difficult for us as participants and listeners suffer from the disregard for the fourth core attribute of the voice, the relationship statement.

For a better understanding: The four core messages of your voice are those unconscious messages that your voice sends out continuously without you noticing:

• Dominance: Creates attention
• Empathy: Conveys personal sympathy
• Pressure: Shows tension and nervousness
• Relationship quality: Shows whether you're engaging your audience in
  in a role or as an individual

Empathetic relationship voice switches the buying traffic light in the brain to green

Vielleicht fragen Sie sich jetzt, was macht speziell dieses vierte Signal so wichtig in Vortrag und Präsentation, im Gespräch und am Telefon? Es schaltet, bildlich gesprochen, die Ampel im “Kaufgehirn”, im Limbic brain of man either on red or on green. Your voice unmistakably signals whether you perceive your conversation partners only as a resource for your benefit, i.e. in the role of buyers, as an audience or in their function as employees, etc. ... or as an individual with needs, feelings and values.

Practical tip:

• Mental preparation: Do you address your audience in their role or function (as potential customers, suppliers, etc.) or have you thought about what the personal or social needs of the individual might be?
• Linguistic preparation: Seduce the audience of your presentation into a delicate situation with your first sentence, for which you will later show solutions.
• Nutzen Sie dazu suggestive Formeln wie: “Angenommen, Sie …”, “Erinnern Sie sich …” oder “Vielleicht haben Sie auch schon einmal …”

Your voice unmistakably signals whether you perceive your conversation partners only as a resource for your benefit, i.e. in the role of buyers, as an audience or in their function as employees, etc. ... or as an individual with needs, feelings and values.

There is another way

One last time back to the conference. As the last speaker before the lunch break, the sales director has entered the stage. Confidently standing in the front in the middle, he talks to his sales team. Dark, full and clear voice, sympathetic tone, although he does not skimp on clear words. He radiates competence, composure, but also determination. He is vocally at peace with himself, allows himself one or the other side blow. He speaks modulated, accentuates some of his statements with clear pauses, which makes a good impression.

It is clear to everyone that this man has stature. His words made an impression and made one or the other employee go to the lunch buffet with a thoughtful face.

The words so often only reach the mind. Only the voice opens the door to the heart! Work on your vocal skills so that your valuable content will also ensure your success through a rousing presentation and a convincing, inspiring voice!

Yours sincerely,

Arno Fischbacher

 

P.S.: I'm happy if you like this post. If so, please share it on one of your networks! Do you have a question or would you like to discuss my thoughts with me? Write a comment! I look forward to hearing your opinion!

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Read Also:

• Perform confidently, but how?
• What your listening sounds reveal
• Interrupting frequent speakers elegantly and effectively

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The author:

Arno Fischbacher is a business voice coach and rhetoric expert, speaker and author. He prepares executives and employees of the top companies in Germany and Austria for negotiations, presentations and media appearances. Fischbacher is the author of several books, past president of the German Speakers Association (GSA) Austria, chairman of the European Network of Voice Experts, stimme.at.

If you would like to learn more about specific training opportunities with Arno Fischbacher, make an appointment here free information talk.

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