In a previous post, I wrote about what yoga and public speaking have in common. It turns out that some of my favorite public speakers are yoga instructors. The best of the best not only guide their class through a physical workout, they impart ideas and words of wisdom to their students. They are communicators in the truest sense of the word. Some use metaphors, others incorporate personal stories, some add humor and others communicate with silence - until the silence is broken with a meaningful take on life. A great yoga instructor, like a great public speaker, doesn't talk for the sake of talking, they make every word count.
When we coach our clients at Ty Boyd, we make sure they understand that speaking isn't about the speaker, it's about the audience. And when we say it's about the audience, we don't mean impressing the audience with polished communication skills, we mean providing a meaningful message that benefits the audience and inspires them to act. Effective communication is creating an experience and connecting with people. And of course, the best yoga instructors know this to be true.
In our Excellence in Speaking course we refer to filler words as non-words and blogged about their lack of effectiveness here. A compelling yoga instructor understands the importance of clear communication when giving cues on how to flow from one pose to the next. Phrases like, "now begin to," and "now go ahead and" are fillers that offer no help to yogis who are listening to their instructor for guidance and instruction. To be effective, yoga teachers concentrate on the tone and the tempo of their voice. They speak loud and clear and are aware that an energetic voice can inspire a student to release further into a pose. These same tools are what great public speakers rely on when addressing an audience.
Each instructor has a unique teaching style that draws on personal experiences and preferences and emphasizes different aspects of yoga. But there is one commonality that you will find in every great yoga instructor and that is the ability to communicate well.
When we coach our clients at Ty Boyd, we make sure they understand that speaking isn't about the speaker, it's about the audience. And when we say it's about the audience, we don't mean impressing the audience with polished communication skills, we mean providing a meaningful message that benefits the audience and inspires them to act. Effective communication is creating an experience and connecting with people. And of course, the best yoga instructors know this to be true.
In our Excellence in Speaking course we refer to filler words as non-words and blogged about their lack of effectiveness here. A compelling yoga instructor understands the importance of clear communication when giving cues on how to flow from one pose to the next. Phrases like, "now begin to," and "now go ahead and" are fillers that offer no help to yogis who are listening to their instructor for guidance and instruction. To be effective, yoga teachers concentrate on the tone and the tempo of their voice. They speak loud and clear and are aware that an energetic voice can inspire a student to release further into a pose. These same tools are what great public speakers rely on when addressing an audience.
Each instructor has a unique teaching style that draws on personal experiences and preferences and emphasizes different aspects of yoga. But there is one commonality that you will find in every great yoga instructor and that is the ability to communicate well.
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