I am often asked… How can I be more elegant?

The reality is that elegance is more than how you dress or move. I created The Elegant Tone to help The Elegance Community set the tone for the day (or week) so that we can all feel and be more elegant.

This week’s elegant tone is all about reflecting on silence

That is how to use silence in the most effective way. Staying silent in certain situations may feel awkward or unnerving. Sometimes we just want to fill the space with words.

Silence can speak more than words at times. So how can we work on mastering the art of being silent at the right time this week?

Understand yourself
Are you someone that jumps onto a subject and doesn’t let the other finish? Understanding your behavior is a great way to develop your skills.

Be observant

Notice how others speak and their flow of speech. Do they take long pauses between explaining something or going to the next sentence?
Give silence in those moments so the other can finish their thought and answer.

Communicate positively through nonverbal communication
Just because you are silent does not mean you are not engaging in communication. use nonverbal communication to show that you are there and listening to what is being said. You can do this through acknowledging (when appropriate) through touch, a nod of your head, a smile, by leaning forward and into what they’re saying. Show engagement through eye contact contacted engagement.

Through being silent you’re allowing space and time for the other person in the conversation to speak and be heard.

I hope these tips are helpful this week, as we strive to be ever more efficient and better communicators; mastering silence and becoming more elegant individuals. If you would like to watch my video this week please do so here. Additionally, I will be sending out a newsletter with further tips on mastering the art of silence to subscribers to my blog!

Stay Elegant,