As an emerging leader, being able to clearly communicate your thoughts and ideas is crucial, especially in impromptu situations like meetings. Have you ever left a discussion feeling like you failed to get your point across quickly or intelligently? Maybe you got put on the spot by a question and froze up. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. The good news is, with a few simple strategies, you can train yourself to think faster and speak smarter when called upon.
Stop Worrying About Judgments
One of the biggest hurdles to clear communication is self-doubt or worrying about how you’ll be perceived. This activates your brain’s fight-or-flight response, diverting resources away from the areas needed for cognitive thinking. Your self-consciousness isn’t an actual threat, but your brain treats the perceived threat the same way, hampering your ability to formulate coherent responses in stressful moments.
The fix is to stop obsessing over whether people will think you’re intelligent or agree with you. Realize that your insights and perspectives are valuable, especially as a leader. Speak your authentic thoughts without filtering. Getting rid of that anxious voice in your head allows you to think more clearly.
Get to the Point
When put on the spot, some people try to stall for time by rambling aimlessly until arriving at their point. However, this tends to lose the audience’s attention and interest before you even get there. Avoid going in circles – identify the core point or opinion you want to convey right from the start.
If asked a question you need time to consider, buy yourself a moment by repeating it back: “That’s an insightful question about X project…” This buys you a few seconds to gather your thoughts before giving your genuine assessment. Don’t be afraid to share candid thoughts and concerns. Authenticity and forthrightness are leadership strengths.
Use Intriguing Connectors
Powerful communicators know how to keep their audience captivated by using “intriguing connectors” as transitions between points. Phrases like “Here’s why…”, “I’ll tell you what…”, and “There are three reasons for this…” act as hooks prompting people to stay engaged. The connectors signal you’re about to give valuable supporting details.
These transitions weren’t innate skills – the best speakers learned and practiced them from watching elite communicators. You can integrate these simple connecting phrases into your discussions as well to maintain audience interest.
Highlight Your Points
Before speaking, it’s helpful to outline the key points you plan to make, ideally 2-3 at most. Then, you can say upfront “There are a few reasons I recommend this approach…” or “My thoughts are based on three main factors…” This establishes a roadmap for your listeners so they can easily follow along.
Trying to rattle off a lengthy, disjointed list of 10 points will simply overwhelm and lose people. Stick to just a couple of well-explained points for maximum comprehension and engagement.
With these four techniques – ditching self-doubt, getting to the point quickly, using intriguing connectors, and highlighting your points – you’ll be able to project confidence and clarity in your communication. What was once an anxiety-provoking struggle will become second nature. Keep practicing, and you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to think fast and speak smart, especially in leadership situations.