Saying the Right Thing… At the Right Time…
Who wouldn’t want to have the ability to say the right thing at the right time… to speak off the cuff, to improvise, even to wing it?
Have you ever admired someone who is spontaneous? Someone who always seems to have the ‘right’ answer and is always cool, calm and collected? Could that be you?
Is this the gift of the gab?
So, what is this gift of the gab, and can anyone do it? One way of explaining this quality is that it allows you to go ‘off piste’ but stay in control when speaking (whether that’s in front of an audience or one to one). And we believe that you don’t have to have kissed the Blarney Stone to be successful at it.
The question is - ‘is it important?’ We believe it is. Very! You only have to think back to the last presentation or phone call you had from someone who was reading from a pre-prepared script:
- Can you remember what they were saying?
- Do you remember much about the detail?
- Were you quietly bored? If the communication seemed stifled, it is because it was.
Does this example give you a sense of how stilted communication can be when it is being driven by inflexible thinking?
How would you feel about ‘winging it’?
So, would you dare to wing it when briefing with your boss, delivering a presentation, answering a client’s questions or running your next meeting? Most people wouldn’t but it’s my bet that you might completely change your mind if:
1.You felt confident about doing it, and;
2.It gave you a much better chance of achieving the outcome that you wanted.
In fact if you felt confident of success it would be hard to argue against such an approach. Of course the key is clear thinking and a reliable, structured approach that puts you in control and enables you to appear to be spontaneous – every time.
If you want to become an engaging speaker, a dynamic leader or a silver tongued sales executive then you need to master the ability to think (and speak) on your feet. Find out more about how you can improve your thinking and verbal communication skills with our Think on Your Feet® programme.
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