How to Help Colleagues and Friends Improve Their Communication Skills.

So what is the best way to help a colleague, an associate, a co worker, or a friend or family member communicate more effectively? Here's what I do at the professional level, but you could also do it at the personal level. That is, figure out what is the venue the person is trying to get better at. Is it a job interview? Is it a speech before their city council asking for a stop sign? Whatever the venue is, the best thing is to ask. Ask them to practice on you while you video record it. And you don't have to go hire a big fancy production crew. Just get your cell phone, hold it up, that's going to be great, and then watch it with your friend, family member, colleague. Here's the trick though. The first time you watch it, you need to just talk about what the person's doing. Well, don't let the person wallow in self criticism and doubt. Left to their own devices, the average person seeing a video of themselves speak for the first time will say something. Oh my God, I'm awful. I didn't realize how horrible my voice is and I look ugly and I'm going bald. I'm fat. Don't let your friend, family member or colleague get mired in all that negativity. My recommendation, the first time you review it is just focus on the positive, focus on what you like, focus on strengths, then practice again. Ask the person to try to do more of what they like, less of what they don't like. Keep practicing on video until your friend, family member or colleague likes what they see. They need to be able to look at the screen on the cell phone or the laptop or the iPad and and say, wow, if I can come across half as well as he does or she does, I'll be in great shape. I'll be coming across exactly the way I want. Now, this might happen in one or two takes after five minutes, it might take 30 takes in five hours. But if it is for a job interview, for your dream job, or an investment, pitch to that venture capitalist who could give you $300 million, it's worth the five hours. So spend the time. Practice on video again and again until you and the person you're helping actually love what you see.