‘Does this make sense?’ - a simple 4 word sentence that some of my peers would suggest you should NEVER ask?

Why?

It’s suggested that asking this question can be either

1. Condescending - suggesting your listener is too stupid to understand whatever it is you’re explaining; or

2. Damaging your credibility - suggesting you’re questioning your communication effectiveness

I disagree, HARD, on both accounts.

I have been asking this question my entire facilitation and coaching career.

Listen in to hear:

• Why I don’t think asking ‘does this make sense’ is either condescending or credibility damaging

• Why I think it’s actually a useful question to ask to check for understanding before adding more info

• How tonality, body language and even intention of the question has more to do with whether the query is condescending or

After listening, I’m genuinely curious … is this a blind spot of mine and do I sound condescending, or like I don’t know what I’m talking about?

Let me know in the comments or find me on instagram - https://www.instagram.com/catmatson/

Join the 7 day Speaking with Impact Practice Series here - https://www.impactfulpresenters.com/live-webinar/speaking-with-impact-7-day-practice-series-april/register

Ever feel tired, no, EXHAUSTED? Saying the same thing over and over and over and over again, and being dismissed, not heard, not understood or just getting polite nods?

If you’re striving to influence change, or make an impact, it can often feel like you’re bashing your head against a brick wall, or yelling into the void.

If that’s true, this episode is for you. Having been there (many times), today I’m sharing both communication tips as well as energy and wellbeing tips to keep you showing up, speaking up and making your voice heard.

Listen in to hear:

• How to stop blaming ‘them’ and change your approach for better outcomes

• Why ‘seeking first to understood, then to be understood’ is a POWERFUL way to connect with your audience

• A not-so-gentle reminder that influence takes time … and you’re unlikely to make a dent in the universe with just one conversation

• How to use stories rather than data to help move your audience

• How surrounding yourself with other like-minded people can be a powerful way to top up your mental wellbeing cup when it feels like you’re not making progress

• My personal daily ritual for noticing the ‘wins’ and progress … so I can keep going

Join me for my upcoming Speaking with Impact 7 Day Practice Series. It starts 20 April and is completely FREE! Details here

Have a question you’d like to ask me? DM me on instagram

If you’re prone to over-explaining yourself, you’re going to love this episode.

Using stories to illustrate your point is a powerful way to land your message. The trick though is to not make your story too long, or a shaggy dog story, either.

Listen in to hear:

• Why you might over explain yourself

• How I changed from over explaining to using stories

• How to tell stories that are based on your lived experience

• How to ensure your stories don’t become too long, too detailed, or too irrelevant

• My story of why I think we need more diverse voices contributing to the conversations that matter

Join me for my Storytelling SpeakEASY on Friday 27 March

Want to be the first to hear about the May round of Communicate with Impact? Sign up for my newsletter, here

Follow me (and ask me questions) on Instagram

Delivering commercial outcomes is one of the reasons we have conversations - whether it’s one-on-one or at scale through panels, keynotes, webinars or on podcasts. But so often we focus so much on giving value, we forget to actually move our listeners along the customer journey - towards a commercial outcome.

In this episode I’m sharing my thoughts on how to be of service, be friendly and build rapport AND drive commercial outcomes in all your conversations.

Listen in to hear:

• The power of clarifying your strategic intent before any conversation

• Why you want to consider your call to action before you start speaking

• How to seed the next steps throughout your conversations and presentation

• How to align speaking engagements, such as panels, conference presentations or even podcast guesting with your strategic goals

• How to move your listener closer to a sales outcome, without being pushy or salesy

Join my Storytelling SpeakEASY on Friday 27 March - register now

As me questions about this episode on Instagram

Help more diverse voices be heard in the conversations that matter - subscribe, rate or follow this podcast, or leave a comment, a review or share.

Gravitas - we know it when we see it, but how do we develop it for ourselves?

In this week’s episode I’m exploring what gravitas is, what it’s NOT and how you can develop it for yourself, NOW (without any more experience, knowledge or expertise).

Listen in to hear:

• The true essence of gravitas (and how you’re probably closer than you think to having it)

• The things we do that undermine our gravitas, that you can fix more easily than you think

• How to use stories from your past experiences to bring more gravitas and presence to your conversations

• How my ‘brag bag’ framework can be used to develop gravitas (brag bag stories are the gift that keep on giving!)

• How I embody gravitas without sounding braggy

SpeakEASY - Storytelling - register now for my free Storytelling SpeakEASY session to practice your gravitas-giving-brag-bag-stories

Got a question you’d like me to answer? Ask away on Instagram

And please, help me help more diverse voices to be heard in the conversations that matter. Subscribe, share, rate this podcast, or leave a review or comment.

Gabrielle Dolan is a keynote speaker and author who teaches leaders the art and skill of strategic storytelling, teaching them to communicate more effectively with stories.

In her recent book, Story Intelligence. The Craft of Authentic Storytelling, Made Smarter with AI, Gabrielle explores how we can stay authentic while using AI to tell better stories to boost our credibility, lead change and make an impact.

Listen in to hear:

• The core elements of effective storytelling and why storytelling is a skill that anyone can learn

• Gabrielle’s concept of ‘story intelligence’, and how you can use storytelling to enhance leadership and your influence

• The mistakes people make when it comes to finding, overlooking and telling their stories (not to mention, inauthentic fabrications)

• How to use and balance AI tools with your authentic voice, and practical ways to use AI as a storytelling coach

• Why authentic stories are increasingly important in world of declining trust

Register Now for my Storytelling SpeakEASY on March 27

-----Buy Gabrielle’s book, Story Intelligence. The Craft of Authentic Storytelling, Made Smarter with AI on Amazon or Booktopia

Connect with Gabrielle on LinkedIn

And please, help me help more diverse voices be heard in the conversations that matter. Subscribe to, follow or rate this podcast, leave a review or comment or simply share on social media.

A key form of professional influence is speaking up, and being heard, in meetings with senior leaders. That might be really daunting, or, you’ve struggled with knowing saying the right things to get people nodding in understanding.

Having been in this situation myself, and then sitting in senior leadership roles, I’ve seen and worked through these communication challenges from all angles, and I’m sharing my top tips for being heard in meetings with senior leaders.

Listen in to hear:

• What senior leaders REALLY need when they’re receiving information by firehose from multiple sources

• How to summarise your details into top-level information that adds value

• Why focussing on the essence of what you want to say, rather than your words, will save you

• Why getting upset that someone else repeats our idea and gets the credit is NOT necessarily a bad thing (even if it’s frustrating)

• How to be seen as a meaningful contributor, and not just adding more noise

Want a FREE Confident Communication Coaching Session with me? Book here

(https://tidycal.com/cat-matson/confident-communication-coaching-session)

Other Episodes mentioned

177 - Sales Conversations That Feel Fabulous

https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/OThTmqIsMZb

Please help me equip more humble leaders with the confidence to contribute to the conversations that matter. Rate, review and follow this podcast, wherever you’re listening

Got a question? Ask away on instagram - https://www.instagram.com/catmatson/

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they want to speak more concisely …

Sure, there’s value in getting to the point, but concise isn’t as necessary as we think it is.

And, if you are being concise, how do you do it in a way that doesn’t come across as cold, abrupt or uncaring?

Listen in to hear

• The distinction between concise and effective communication

• How you can still get to the point without being abrupt

• My ‘speak to your full stops’ technique for minimising the ramble

• Why understanding where you’re listener is at is a powerful way to narrow your message

• The extraordinary power of intentional communication

Want a FREE Confident Communication Coaching Session with me? Book here (https://tidycal.com/cat-matson/confident-communication-coaching-session)

Other Episodes mentioned

177 - Sales conversations that feel fabulous - https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/OThTmqIsMZb

Please help me equip more humble leaders with the confidence to contribute to the conversations that matter. Rate, review and follow this podcast, wherever you’re listening

Got a question? Ask away on instagram (https://www.instagram.com/catmatson/)