"How to Speak So People Want to Listen"

2022/08/22

"I can't convey my thoughts well"

"The conversation doesn't flow"

"I get nervous and the words won't come out"

Due to the nature of my work, I often receive consultations about these kinds of worries and anxieties. Even before I started working, since my student days, I would confide in my friends about these problems and sigh, thinking, 'Sigh, isn't there something that can be done...?'

In my teens, I overthought everything and alternated between joy and sorrow over every word exchanged with friends or the opposite sex. Once I entered the workforce, I cried over the difficulty of handling words. Later, it was conversations with other moms, communication with my children and parents, and how to speak in a changing career. Every day, I am poignantly reminded that worries about "speaking" never end, no matter how old you get.

In the midst of all this, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the once-common act of "conversing with people" suddenly became difficult. For me, there were more and more moments when I felt relieved and saved by the casual talk coming from the radio and the sense of security that human voices provide. It seems that the number of people actually listening to the radio increased during this period, which also saw an increase in remote work. While new methods of communication like "Online [Something]" continue to grow, perhaps we have come full circle and returned to the basics of "speaking and listening"?

Why is it that even though it's "just a voice," we feel a sense of familiarity? Why do we want to keep listening?

If I could put it into words, perhaps it would provide an answer to the problems surrounding communication. As a listener who loves radio and as a DJ working in this world, I have tried to verbalize the charm of radio, which is once again attracting attention.

Despite being naturally prone to nervousness, shy, and a worrier, it has been 25 years since I auditioned out of pure admiration and started my first program. I have made countless mistakes, and there are still moments when my heart races. That is why I hope those with the same worries can feel even a little bit more at ease. With that wish in mind, I wrote about the small tips and habits for "conveying" that I value in the live broadcasting field. I would be happy if you could use this as a hint in any situation, from casual daily small talk to "the big moment," or interactions with people you find difficult.

"How to Speak So People Want to Listen"

Fumika Hideshima

Asahi Shimbun Publications

256 pages, 1,540 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and job titles are as of the time of publication.