One of the essentials in becoming a better communicator is understanding and embracing the characteristics of your specific voice. As a TEACHER, you have three distinct strengths you must lean into for greatest impact. You also have a significant weakness that, left unchecked, can undermine your strengths and limit your ability to connect and communicate with others.

The strengths of the teacher are content, knowledge and credibility. Let’s look at each in greater detail:

CONTENT

You have the ability to bring different ideas and thoughts together in a compelling way. You enjoy the process of learning in order to share that learning with others, and you put great care into crafting your presentations in a way that ensures the content is the star at all times.

KNOWLEDGE

You are diligent about studying deeply in different areas, particularly when it comes to subjects you will teach to others. You do your best to establish mastery of the subject matter so you can be prepared to answer any questions that your audience might have.

CREDIBILITY

You choose to limit your content and subject matter to only those areas where you can speak with authenticity. While others may try and fake it, you choose to teach only those subjects about which you are not only passionate, but well-experienced on a deep, personal level. You want your audience to believe in your expertise from the way you live your life.

When you combine great content, knowledge of the subject and credibility with a strong connection to the audience, you leverage your voice as a teacher. That being said, the weakness of the teacher is CONNECTION. Too often, teachers are so passionate about their content they make a fatal mistake by assuming their audience shares that passion too. To overcome this weakness, you need to work diligently to connect with your audience in the first few minutes of any presentation.

You can establish connection by showing the audience the relevance and importance of the content to their lives. By giving the audience clear, compelling reasons to listen, you ensure that they will remain locked on to your presentation so they can gain the benefits of what you share. Make sure that you also establish a connection between yourself and your audience as well. Treat the audience the way you would a new concept: spend time studying and understanding your audience and their needs, and then let them know you understand how to help them—and are happy to do so.

With those two connections established, you can successfully lead your audience to the “aha!” moment that signifies they truly understand and embrace the value of your presentation.

EXAMPLE OF A TEACHER

Coach John Wooden. One of the winningest college basketball coaches of all time, Coach Wooden was the consummate teacher. He had an effective philosophy about basketball that he imparted to every team, beginning with a lesson on how to properly put on a pair of socks. Wooden’s genius was his ability to establish a connection with each player, and thereby each team, so the players would listen and embrace Coach’s philosophy. As a result, Wooden is known today as one of the greatest coaches to ever live.