A Holistic Approach To Communication

Triv”i*um\, n. The word is a Latin term meaning ‘the three ways’ or “the three roads” forming the foundation of a medieval liberal arts education. The three “liberal” arts, logic, grammar, and rhetoric; being a triple way, as it were, to eloquence.

We chose the name Trivium because we have a holistic bend. We firmly believe that the best speakers, the best leaders, the best athletes, the best coaches, the best parents, the best teachers are the ones that show up in mind, body, and spirit.

The finest examples of exceptional human performance, of any kind, showcase this holistic attribute. There is a mental component, a physical component, and there is, for lack of a better word, a spiritual component.

LOGIC was The Art of Thinking. When we talk about the mind, we are referring to our ability to think clearly and rationally, to reflect, to know our audience, to notice our own behavior and how other people respond, to be able to communicate authentically with others, to ask good questions, to truly listen to their answers, to respectfully probe deeper, to understand.

GRAMMAR was The Art of Symbolizing. There's clearly a physical component to high performance, of any kind. When communicating with others, how purposefully we use our hands, how we move our bodies, how we use our voice, how we use and interact with visual aids, the posture we exhibit, all can play a key role in how we are perceived and how effective we ultimately are.

RHETORIC was The Art of Communicating that which is thought and symbolized, to persuade others. Last, but certainly not least, there's our spirit. How we feel about a subject, how much conviction we have about a product, how invested we are in providing a quality outcome, all of these will somehow manifest in our behavior. It might be our facial expressions, it might be the energy we bring, our level of engagement, the stories we tell, our humor, our humility, our deepest inner feelings, all uniquely unveiled in order to help us authentically connect with others.

At Trivium Performance™, it's not about just doing one thing, it's about doing all three, it's the compounding effect that makes the difference. It's the ability to bring all three components to the table at the same time that sparks a 'yes.'

It may seem overwhelming, we know that. That's why, in our programs, we break it down into chunks. We use a modular approach. It's layered, strategically. We do a lot of exercises. We have participants do a lot of practice presenting. We provide open, honest feedback. We use the video camera so participants can see themselves. We provide confidential, individual coaching.

So, whether you personally want to be a better presenter, a better leader, or help your team improve, approaching your communications holistically can help.

Think about the people you will be speaking with, step out of your shoes into theirs, even if it's just for a short time. Create a plan for how you should approach this conversation. When you Communicate, do it with openness, honestly and clarity.

If you or someone you know is looking for help on the communication front, be it individuals or team, call us at 843.301.1768 or email me, Scott Hays at shays@triviumperformance.com to set up a time to talk.