Tim Newman Speaks: Why Great Communicators Never Stop Learning

Tim: 0:08

Welcome back to Speaking with Confidence, a podcast that helps you build the soft skills that lead to real results Communication, storytelling, public speaking and showing up with confidence in every conversation that counts. I’m Tim Newman, a recovering college professor turned communication coach, and I’m thrilled to guide you on your journey to becoming a powerful communicator. Make sure you hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode. In this episode, I’m going to talk about the importance of reading and continuous improvement. Let’s start with something that Ron Reich said on the podcast recently. He’s read over 400 leadership books. Now I don’t know what impresses me more the fact that he’s read that many or that he remembers anything from all of them. But seriously, if that doesn’t make you stop and think about the role reading plays in becoming a more confident and powerful communicator, I don’t know what will. And it’s not just Ron.

Tim: 1:06

Way back in the very first episode of the Speaking with Confidence podcast, dr Chris Hobbs said something that still sticks with me. He said you’re only going to output as good as your inputs. Let that sink in for a second. We’re out here trying to deliver great presentations, have meaningful conversations, lead meetings and connect with audiences, but what are we putting in that fuels all of that. Because if you’re not learning, if you’re not reading, observing, reflecting, what exactly are you hoping to draw from when it comes time to speak up?

Tim: 1:48

Reading isn’t just a way to gather facts. It’s how we build our frameworks. It’s how you get new stories, new angles, new language, expand your vocabulary, and not in a let-me-use-a-five-dollar-word-to-sound-fancy kind of way, but in a now-I-can-say-what-I-exactly-mean kind of way. And that is what is powerful. I’m not saying you have to blow through a book a week. I know life’s busy, but even if you just pick up one solid book a month or one chapter a week, or even, as Ron suggested, 10 pages a day can change how you think. Or even, as Ron suggested, 10 pages a day can change how you think. And when you change how you think, you change how you speak. The other thing is, when you read, you become a better listener too, because you get used to absorbing new perspectives, sitting with ideas longer than 10 seconds and thinking about what’s really being said. That makes you sharper in every interaction, whether you’re on a stage or just in a one-on-one. So if you’re serious about growing as a communicator, reading can’t be optional. It’s one of the few habits that consistently pays off in clarity, creativity and confidence. And yeah, ron’s 400 Book Flex is impressive, but I’ll let you in on a secret it started with just one, and speaking of starting, let’s talk about continuing. Reading is just one part of a much bigger picture when it comes to growth. If you want to be a confident and powerful communicator not just once, but consistently you have to make communication skills something you’re always sharpening. Next, I’m going to talk about what that actually looks like and why I’ve invested in things like the Maxwell Leadership Certification Program.

Tim: 3:39

Even after 20 plus years of speaking, teaching and coaching, the key is that improvement isn’t just a phase, it’s the plan. And you know what’s wild? Communication is the one skill that everyone thinks they’re good at until they’re not. Communication is the one skill that everyone thinks they’re good at until they’re not. If you ask someone, are you a good communicator? And they say oh, yeah, totally, then you have to sit through their next meeting and feel like you’re being held hostage by PowerPoint. Here’s the truth. Communication isn’t a one-and-done checkbox. It’s not like getting a degree where, once you have it, it’s yours forever and you can stop showing up. Communication is more like golf. You might have a solid swing one day, but if you don’t keep working on it, you’ll be slicing balls in the trees the next. And yeah, I realize I’m probably describing half the golf week amateur tour right now.

Tim: 4:36

There are three key reasons why lifelong improvement in communication matters. Number one your audience keeps changing, whether it’s co-workers, clients, podcast listeners or even your own team. People evolve and the way that Gen Z communicates is different from millennials, and both are wildly different from boomers. So if you’re still using the same stories, tone or tools you were 10 years ago, you’re not just out of date, you might become invisible. Number two your role keeps changing. The way I communicated as a college professor 20 years ago is different from how I speak as a podcast host or as a coach or as someone guiding leaders through a speaking course. As your influence grows, your communication has to grow with it or you’ll find yourself in rooms you’re not ready to lead in. And number three your opportunities grow with your clarity.

Tim: 5:38

I’ve seen it time and time again People with great ideas who get passed over because they couldn’t clearly say what they meant. The message was there. It was just buried under jargon, nervous filler words or a PowerPoint slide with font so small you need a microscope to read it. Or a PowerPoint slide with font so small you need a microscope to read it and understand. I’m not immune to this either, and that’s why I recently joined the Maxwell Leadership Certification Program. Not because I don’t know how to communicate, but because I know I can always be better, and that’s the mindset. Shift Improvement doesn’t mean you’re bad. It means you’re committed. Shift Improvement doesn’t mean you’re bad, it means you’re committed. So you may ask yourself self what does ongoing improvement look like? Let me break it down into four key points, because this doesn’t have to be complicated or feel like you’re chasing some mythical perfect speaker status.

Tim: 6:35

Number one get feedback from people who know what they’re listening for. Your friends love you. They’ll say great talk, no matter what, but coaches, mentors and even sharp audience members will help you see your blind spots. Here’s a couple examples. I was working on something related to how I communicate and was really stuck, and I reached out to my best friend because I know, no matter what, he’ll give it to me straight, and he not only gave me his opinion, but he also gave me a different way to approach it. His help opened my eyes and I was able to move forward. Another example I was talking with my favorite daughter, sarah Losey, last week and I mentioned I was trying to find a solution to something that was eating up a lot of my time. She gave me a suggestion to try that was outside of my comfort zone, but I told her I would just try it, just because she suggested it and I am coachable. If it works, great. It will save me about three hours a week. If it doesn’t work, I’m no worse off. I’ll let you know how it works out, because she always has good ideas and good solutions.

Tim: 7:47

Number two study outside your own echo chamber. I read books and listen to communicators I don’t agree with and I watch speakers I normally wouldn’t gravitate towards. Why? Because growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones and, trust me, some of the most valuable lessons come from speakers who do things differently than you would. Third, teach what you’re learning. Every time I coach someone on speaking, I end up learning more myself. It forces me to sharpen my ideas. Get clear on my approach and practice what I preach. If you want to grow faster, coach someone else and finally, record yourself.

Tim: 8:32

This is the worst. No one enjoys watching themselves on camera, except maybe a sociopath, but it’s also the fastest way to improve. You’ll catch your habits, your pacing, your awkward hand movements and also your brilliance, because, yeah, you’re better than you think. You just have to be brave enough to hit that play button. The bottom line is this If you stop improving your communication, you’re choosing to limit your influence Full stop. You might get by, you might even do well. You might get by, you might even do well, but you won’t maximize the impact you could have.

Tim: 9:10

And I don’t know about you, but I didn’t sign up for just getting by. I signed up to help people become confident and powerful communicators, and that means I’ve got to keep raising my bar too. Look, if you’re serious about showing up with confidence, being understood and actually moving people with your words, then you’ve got to treat communication as a lifelong craft not a job requirement, not a resume bullet, but a craft. That’s why I’m still learning, I’m still getting coached, still pushing myself, and if you’re listening to this podcast, I bet you’re wired the same way. So here’s the deal. If you know your communication skills are holding you back, or if you’re just ready to take them to the next level, reach out to me. Go to timnehmanspeakscom. You’ll find resources, ways to connect and a spot to book a free call with me directly. I’d love to help you get you where you want to go without all the trial and error I had to go through.

Tim: 10:09

All right, before we wrap up, I’ve got one last thing to leave you with. It’s short, it’s punchy, and it might just be the thing that helps you stop second-guessing yourself the next time you speak up. Just grab the mic at your next meeting and share your thoughts, because, remember, we’re looking for progress, not perfection. That’s all for today. Be sure to visit speakingwithconfidencepodcastcom to get your free e-book the Top 21 Challenges for Public Speakers and how to Overcome them. You can also register for the Forum for Public Speaking course. Always remember your voice has the power to change the world. We’ll talk to you next time, take care.