Communication skills (verbal, non-verbal, and written)

The Basics: Any form of engagement, or exchange of information is known as communication. It’s essential in effectively conveying your thoughts, ideas, or proposal.
Forms: Communication comes in three forms - verbal, non-verbal, and written. Each has a unique role to play, especially in the context of a commissioning brief.

Clarity & Precision: Verbal communication involves spoken or word-of-mouth conversation. It’s important to maintain clarity and precision to avoid any miscommunication.
Tone & Pace: Pay attention to your tone - it should be professional and respectful. The pace should be slow enough for others to understand your points, but not so slow that it loses interest.
Active Listening: Involves listening to others’ viewpoints, asking relevant questions, and providing constructive feedback. Shows you respect their thoughts and are open to their inputs.

Body Language: Non-verbal communication involves body language, gestures, expressions, and eye contact. Your body language should reflect confidence and enthusiasm about your proposal.
Eye Contact: Maintaining eye contact conveys involvement, confidence, and respect.
Gestures: Use appropriate hand and body gestures – too many can be distracting and too little can appear disinterested.

Clarity & Conciseness: When writing your proposal, make sure it is clear, concise, and easy to understand. Avoid the use of jargon unless necessary.
Layout and Structure: Structure your proposal in a logical order with clear headers and bullet points, making it easier to digest.
Proofreading: Always proofread your proposal – spelling mistakes, typos, incorrect grammar can reflect poorly on your professionalism and attention to detail.

Switch and Combine: Master the balancing act - knowing when to switch between verbal, non-verbal, and written communication, and how to effectively combine these.
Contextual Appropriateness: Understand and evaluate the context to choose the right form of communication to ensure maximum impact.
Practice Makes Perfect: Constantly practice your communication skills and seek feedback on your performance. This helps in identifying areas of improvement to work on.

Feedback: Encourage feedback on your communication skills, especially post-presentation. This can provide valuable insights on areas to work on.
Self-Assessment: Regularly self-assess your communication skills. Identify strengths to leverage and weaknesses to address.
Continuous Improvement: Realise that effective communication skills are a potent tool in the world of Performing Arts, but they’re also a lifelong learning process. Powerful communication is influential and persuasive, and it can be the difference between a good proposal and a great one.