What’s Your Style?

Courtesy of Dreamstime.com

It’s great to sit back and watch ministry from a different perspective because you’ll always learn something new. This past week I had my friend and coworker Kristin Costanza give a message to the teens and she did a fantastic job. She engaged the teens in a way that I never could, her style was new and refreshing.
Watching others speak is only helpful to the way we communicate to others.  Granted you might not deliver a message each week; but, there will be times when we need to present an idea, concept or vision. It does not matter the venue or audience, how you speak is important because, if you cannot engage the audience you will not effectively communicate your message.  There are number of things that impact this; however, one thing you probably don’t take into enough consideration is your:

Believe it or not you have a natural delivery style.  It’s the way we feel most comfortable presenting information, for some of us it’s through:

• Storytelling – You love parable, you believe there is a deeper meaning and purpose behind every story.  You spend 75% to 80% using personal testimony or anecdote to get a point across.  You also rely on a famous fictional themes to remind people what they should or should not do.
• Props And Media – This doesn’t mean you are likel the comedian Gallagher; however, you present with visual means because you know people are visual beings.  Whether it’s time on your keynote, or bringing in a tangible object, you feel comfortable showing people what it is you are trying to say, instead of painting a picture.
• Facts And Background – You think through facts.  For you facts are tangible and they paint a clear system or structure that leads to truth.  If the data is clear you are confident that others will see your point.  Because of the work and research that goes behind an idea, it becomes valuable and important; therefore, you want to communicate it.

There is nothing wrong with each individual style; however, there will be times when you need to utilize all three.  Just as there are different ways to present, there are different ways in which we learn.  To overcome people checking out from hearing the same style over and over again, you need to equip yourself with other speakers.  Even if their style is similar you need to offer a different perspective.
Where do you look?  Look amongst your staff, your ministers or even to some of the students.  The talent is there, sometimes you just need to hone and nurture it.  When we can communicate clearly and effectively we can create momentum that turns into movements.

What’s your style?  Is there one I missed?