Selling Your Competence 25
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Selling Your Competence
C 25 c
THERE ARE FOUR communication tools available to each of us.
They are:- Your mind.
- Your face.
- Your body.
- Your voice.
I’m going to oversimplify matters by calling the way you use
your mind the audience’s determination of your competence; and
your face, body, and voice your “likability.” We can call your mind
your “substance.” Your face, body, and voice your “style.” Or we
can refer to your mind as “what you say,” and the other three as
“how you say it.”
I realize that it’s an oversimplification. There are large areas
of overlap, but it really helps me simplify and synthesize my points
for you.
Your competence
Let’s start with the audience’s perception of your competence.
Your competence is reflected in the way you use your mind. It’s
how you organize your thoughts. It’s how you use that great per-
sonal computer called your brain and how you get it to bring the
right message up on its screen. Too often the screen tells you
“bad command.” By that time it’s too late.