Chris Chin, founder and CEO of The Hidden Speaker, helps tech professionals become confident communicators. He noticed many tech professionals hit career ceilings because of poor communication skills. For example, one person wasn’t promoted for 15 years due to communication skills. Another person, a skilled data engineer, was moved away from the team because his presentations were unclear. Chris believes that communication skills are essential for success in leadership positions. He also discusses the importance of concise and impactful presentations, structuring complex answers, and the art of persuasion through asking questions. In this conversation, Christopher Chin discusses the importance of effective communication in data storytelling and presentations. He emphasizes the need to simplify complex information and make it accessible to the audience. Chin provides tips for creating powerful data stories, including breaking down complex arguments into manageable pieces and focusing on clarity and simplicity in visualizations. He also discusses the use of filler words and offers strategies for reducing their use. Additionally, Chin explores the role of voice, vocabulary, and enunciation in effective communication.
Takeaways
- Communication skills are crucial for career growth in the tech industry.
- Poor communication skills can lead to hitting career ceilings and missed opportunities.
- Concise and impactful presentations are essential for effective communication.
- Structuring complex answers using frameworks like PREP (point, reason, example, point) can improve clarity.
- Persuasion can be achieved by asking questions and allowing others to convince themselves.
- Break down complex arguments into manageable pieces to enhance understanding.
- Focus on clarity and simplicity in data visualizations.
- Reduce the use of filler words and pause instead.
Where to find Chris
- Website: https://thehiddenspeaker.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cchiddenspeaker/
Where to find Ida
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ida-johnsson/
- X: https://twitter.com/IdaBJohnsson
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcGBjKfzdALl_FQVcA4b8TA
Timestamps
00:00 Preview
01:15 Intro
02:01 Communication and career growth
06:04 Presentation do’s and don’ts
10:28 What every great presentation does
12:55 Most common presentation mistakes
15:10 Everyday communication
16:51 Sometimes, you need to interrupt people
19:13 Chris’ path to good communication skills
22:32 How to give concise and impactful answers
26:30 Asking questions as a tool for better conversations
28:49 Telling stories with data
31:29 Good data visuals
35:59 Filler words
40:19 How to become a better speaker
41:47 Finding your own voice
43:31 Train your voice to be engaging
45:31 Tips for non-native English speakers
48:01 Vocabulary
50:48 Where to find Chris