Excerpt from the Chapter “Get Engaged”

Engaging your listeners requires the conscious use of eye contact and pausing: eye contact to connect with listeners; pausing to think about what you’re saying. We refer to them as engagement skills…

Just keep in mind that we are not talking about eye contact and pausing as elements of a performance. It’s not about how your eye contact makes you appear to the audience or the dramatic effect of your pauses. We’re talking about the use of these skills to initiate and engage in the conversation.

So What Does This Mean for You?

Nothing is more important than getting engaged and becoming self-aware. Once that happens, you may still have polishing to do, but that will be much easier once you’re engaged in the conversation.