4 Levels of Speaking (Most Never Escape Level 2!)

The Four Levels of Communication & Achieving Mastery

Key Concepts:

• Vocal Image: How you use your voice (volume, rate, pitch, tonality, pauses).
• Visual Image: How you use your body (gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, movement).
• Verbal Image: How you use your words (storytelling, frameworks vs. rambling).
• Record & Review Process: A diagnostic tool for identifying communication weaknesses.
• Mastery Cycle: A continuous process of applying, reviewing, and improving communication skills.
• Unconscious Competence (Level 4): Communication becomes automatic and focused on desired outcomes.

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Introduction: The Importance of Communication

The speaker begins by asserting that career growth is fundamentally limited by communication skills. He posits that communication isn’t a static skill, but rather a journey through four distinct levels: unaware, aware, skilled, and mastery. Understanding which level one occupies is crucial for targeted improvement, as each level requires a specific core skill to progress. He emphasizes that “Your career will never outgrow your communication.”

Level 1: Unaware – The Foundation of Education

At Level 1, individuals are oblivious to their communication shortcomings, potentially repelling others without realizing it. The key to moving to Level 2 is education. This involves learning the fundamental skills of effective communication. The speaker breaks down communication into three core areas:

1. Vocal Image: Dynamic use of voice – varying volume, rate, pitch, and incorporating pauses. Great communicators avoid a monotonous delivery.
2. Visual Image: Awareness of non-verbal cues – hand gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, and body movement. Effective communicators are conscious of their body language.
3. Verbal Image: Utilizing storytelling and frameworks to convey ideas, rather than simply presenting raw data or rambling.

The speaker offers free resources and trainings (links in the description) to accelerate the transition from Level 1 to Level 2, focusing on the “80/20” of essential skills.

Level 2: Aware – Recognizing the Issues

Level 2 marks a shift in consciousness. Individuals now understand what they are doing wrong in their communication. They become aware of habits like rambling, using filler words ("um," "uh"), or speaking in a monotone. However, this awareness can be painful, as previously unnoticed flaws become glaringly obvious. The speaker warns that many people get stuck at this level due to a lack of a clear plan for improvement.

The Record & Review Process: Diagnosing Communication Weaknesses

To overcome this stagnation, the speaker introduces the “Record & Review” process. He draws a parallel to elite athletes who analyze game footage to identify areas for improvement. This process involves:

1. Prompt & Record: Using a specific ChatGPT prompt (provided in the description) to guide a 10-minute unscripted video recording while answering questions. The recording should be done standing up.
2. 24-Hour Delay: Allowing 24 hours to pass before reviewing the video. This creates distance and allows for objective observation.
3. Three-Part Review: Analyzing the video three times:
   • Vocal Review: Listening to the audio only, noting pace, pauses, volume, and distracting vocal habits.
   • Visual Review: Watching the video silently, observing body language, facial expressions, and distracting movements (including “RBF” – Resting Blank Face).
   • Verbal Review: Transcribing the video and highlighting filler words, unnecessary phrases, and unclear language.

This process generates a personalized list of communication behaviors to improve, moving beyond generic advice. The speaker stresses that applying general advice leads to general results, while specific advice leads to exponential results.

Level 3: Skilled – Conscious Competence

Level 3 represents “conscious competence.” Individuals know what they need to work on and actively practice new behaviors. However, this practice requires deliberate focus and can feel artificial or performative. The speaker acknowledges the feeling of “fakeness” that can arise during this stage.

Reframing “Fakeness”: Learning to Play Your Instrument

The speaker addresses the feeling of inauthenticity by drawing an analogy to learning a musical instrument. He recounts a lesson with a singing teacher who emphasized that the voice is an instrument that needs to be trained. Just as learning new keys on a piano feels strange initially, practicing new communication behaviors will feel unfamiliar. The key is to reframe this feeling – it’s not “fake,” it’s simply unfamiliar. Embracing this discomfort allows for full exploration of one’s communication potential. He quotes his teacher: “Vin, most people go through their whole lives using their voice like this. Your voice is an instrument, Vin. I'm going to teach you how to play it like this.”

Level 4: Mastery – Unconscious Competence

Level 4 signifies “unconscious competence” or mastery. Communication becomes second nature, allowing individuals to focus solely on the desired outcome. Skills and abilities operate automatically, leading to increased influence and impact. People listen attentively, ideas resonate, and desired results are achieved. At this level, communication finally matches capability.

The Mastery Cycle: Continuous Improvement

The speaker introduces the “Mastery Cycle” to facilitate the transition from Level 3 to Level 4:

1. Try & Apply: Select one behavior identified during the Record & Review process and consciously apply it in a real conversation.
2. Review & Reflect: After the interaction, assess the application of the chosen behavior – what worked, what didn’t, and what insights were gained.
3. Plan & Improve: Based on the reflection, make one small adjustment and prepare to try again.

This cycle is iterative and continuous, leading to increasingly refined and natural communication skills. The speaker emphasizes that the more cycles completed, the faster one progresses towards mastery.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

The speaker concludes by challenging viewers to apply the principles discussed. He urges them to pick one behavior from their Record & Review and begin a cycle of application, reflection, and improvement. He reiterates that transforming communication skills has a ripple effect, positively impacting all aspects of life. He directs viewers to a video demonstrating the Record & Review process with a student, showcasing its transformative power. He ends with the assertion that “This is the tide that lifts all boats.”