As a supervisor, you need to lead and inspire your employees — and the way you speak to them is a big part of that process.

Example: Political campaigning is a good example of how important it is to speak well when you want to prove your ability to lead. Many of the current presidential candidates employ stellar communication techniques to gain respect and increase their reputation among voters.

Decker Communications, Inc. teaches leaders about polishing their communication abilities using the “SHARP” principles. Here’s a rundown of what these principles are and how you can use them to hit home with your next public-speaking opportunity.

S - Stories. Storytelling has been essential to most human civilizations for many centuries. When you tell a story, you connect with your audience in a real, humane way. You should keep stories short, interesting and memorable, says Bert Decker, CEO of Decker Communications, Inc.

H - Humor. There are a lot of ways to keep your audience’s attention, and humor has the added benefit of making you more likeable. This doesn’t mean you should throw around “a guy walks into a bar…” jokes, but clever comments or asides, cute visuals, or funny videos can change the pace for an audience and keep them engaged, says Becker.

A - Analogies. Analogies are comparisons between two entities that seem similar. An analogy can help an audience visualize your point more clearly, and it can serve as a good complement to your stories.

R - References. When you use references, you give your audience another example or source of information. References also tell your audience that you’re knowledgeable and know how to research supporting information.

P - Pictures. Pictures are particularly helpful with statistics. It’s difficult for people to grasp a bunch of numbers that you rattle off to them. Put your statistics in terms they can understand, advises Decker. For example: When Zig Ziglar, a motivational speaker and author, explained that the average 27-year-old has seen one million TV commercials, he added that the number breaks down into 50,000 commercials per year, 1,000 per week, etc. This gave his audience a visual reference point.

Filed under: Management Minute