One-size approaches never fit everyone

As a speaker, is it really possible to be totally inclusive to everyone in your audience? Of course, but it’s not as simple as it may seem. It begins by defining what “inclusive” really means in this context. A simple definition of inclusion would be “the act of not excluding any of the parties or groups involved in something”. How can we be sure that we are communicating to everyone in our audience in a way that they can fully comprehend and appreciate?

In order to ensure that we are reaching everyone, we need to be aware of the different issues that audience members may be struggling with, and then do our very best to present the information in a way that will help them become engaged (and remain that way) until we utter our final words. Whether it is a learning style consideration, an attention deficit issue, or some disability such as an auditory, visual, or cognitive challenge (just to name a few), we must create and communicate our information in a way that takes all of these factors into account and make sure to welcome everyone in with open arms.

People with disabilities make up more than 1.3 billion people on the planet. That’s as many people as the entire population of China back in 2005. With so many people who experience some sort of disability, it’s imperative that we do our best to represent as many of them as possible in the way we communicate.

Whether these challenges are noticeable or not, it’s our responsibility to take into account the many different issues that our audience can encounter and offer solutions in the way that we communicate to reach the widest audience possible.

Learning from our audience members

Do you receive or collect feedback after you’ve delivered your speech? Do you hand out comment cards, or offer some way to reach you with opinions or criticism? If not, now is the time to start! You can’t improve if you don’t know what you’re doing wrong. You need to welcome, encourage and appreciate anyone who tells you it is that you might have been doing wrong, especially when they’re willing to tell you why they feel that way, and what you can do to improve next time.

Each and every time you take to the stage (or a virtual platform like Zoom) you have an amazing opportunity to do better than last time… and again next time, and the one after that. So go and get that feedback, and use it to your advantage to learn ways in which you can become a more inclusive communicator! Keep in mind that as many as 1 in 5 Canadians self-identify as having one or more disabilities.

These people are your clients, they’re the ones paying your fee, they’re the ones listening to your speech, they’re the ones looking at your content, they’re the ones telling others how you made them feel. They all need to be taken into account before you walk up to that podium and pin on that lapel mic.

In other words, from the inception of your next talk, you must remember to “speak” to everyone in a way that they can hear, see and understand. Your clients and the entire audience will appreciate the fact that you are taking everyone into account and sharing your knowledge in an efficient and inclusive way.

And believe me, when they feel like you’re creating something just for them, they will leave you feeling special, too. They will talk about it and recommend you to others for years to come. People might not always remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

And that, my friends, is magic!