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Clear articulation is rated as 50% more desirable by employers than other social skills, according to a Sage Journals report. So, to get ahead in your professional life, you must be comfortable speaking up and airing your views. It creates a positive impression on others and conveys your confidence and value.
A World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report states that by 2025, skills associated with thinking on your feet, such as critical thinking and resilience, will top the list of the most valuable professional assets. If you are looking for confidence-building strategies to think on your feet and make your on-the-spotlight communication more confident, here are the top four tips.
The cliché “Restate the questions” is more important than people assume in the context of good communication. Asking the speaker to repeat the question does several things:
● It ensures you understand the question clearly
● It gives you extra time to formulate your answer
Picture this: Someone asks about the status of a tech project your team was supervising, but you did not participate in the detailed design. In this case, asking them to repeat the question gives you more time to collect your thoughts.
Politicians disgust everyone, but they are great communicators. One thing they are really good at is dodging questions and giving answers on what they are confident about when put on the hot seat. So, you want to know their magic formula for impromptu speaking?
Politicians use bridging techniques to transition between ideas. You, too, can borrow a leaf from their playbook to steer the conversation from unfamiliar territory to the topics you know.
For instance, instead of reacting crudely to a question by saying you don’t know (and beat yourself later for not knowing), you can speak with conviction and say what you DO know in the situation. You can use these detailed phrases for confidence when speaking:
● I can’t talk of Y, but this is what I can say of Z
● I understand that Y is essential, but it’s equally crucial to consider Z
● To better understand Y, I’ll first give some background information
Take inspiration from the approach of a Top fintech Speaker in the UK who can seamlessly navigate discussions about complex financial topics, even when caught off guard.
Using the PREP (Point-Reason-Evidence-Point) framework is a powerful tactic to speak with confidence when put on the hot seat or caught off guard. Even if you don’t have much time to prepare talking points, this framework can help you deliver your message succinctly while outlining more points to demonstrate how much evidence you have for your viewpoint.
Here is what this framework looks like in real life
● Point: I believe we should adjust X
● Reason: Our client gave us positive feedback about this approach
● Evidence: For instance, our sales numbers back up our claim
● Point: That’s why I’m sold on adjusting X
The PREP framework works well for making single contributions to meetings or structuring entire presentations. It helps to organize your thoughts and keeps your listeners glued to you.
77% of the population experience some level of anxiety when speaking under the spotlight. Research also shows that stress can cause people to talk too fast, making their speech mumbled. If you feel nervous, consciously slow your speech. Your audience will get a better listening experience, even if it will initially feel slow.
One trick to handle your nerves and maintain a steady speed is to pause every 5-12 words during your presentation. Take a deep breath to give your audience time to hear, digest, and understand your point. It also allows you to mentally reset and prepare for the next part of your answer.
The beauty of these confidence-building strategies is their sheer practicality. You can use them anywhere, in any setting where you are suddenly put on the spot or even in a court of law where you may not have all the answers. Over time, these principles will become second nature to you, and you’ll be able to convey more confidence in your speaking.
Clear articulation is rated as 50% more desirable by employers than other social skills, according to a Sage Journals report. So, to get ahead in your professional life, you must be comfortable speaking up and airing your views. It creates a positive impression on others and conveys your confidence and value.
A World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report states that by 2025, skills associated with thinking on your feet, such as critical thinking and resilience, will top the list of the most valuable professional assets. If you are looking for confidence-building strategies to think on your feet and make your on-the-spotlight communication more confident, here are the top four tips.
The cliché “Restate the questions” is more important than people assume in the context of good communication. Asking the speaker to repeat the question does several things:
● It ensures you understand the question clearly
● It gives you extra time to formulate your answer
Picture this: Someone asks about the status of a tech project your team was supervising, but you did not participate in the detailed design. In this case, asking them to repeat the question gives you more time to collect your thoughts.
Politicians disgust everyone, but they are great communicators. One thing they are really good at is dodging questions and giving answers on what they are confident about when put on the hot seat. So, you want to know their magic formula for impromptu speaking?
Politicians use bridging techniques to transition between ideas. You, too, can borrow a leaf from their playbook to steer the conversation from unfamiliar territory to the topics you know.
For instance, instead of reacting crudely to a question by saying you don’t know (and beat yourself later for not knowing), you can speak with conviction and say what you DO know in the situation. You can use these detailed phrases for confidence when speaking:
● I can’t talk of Y, but this is what I can say of Z
● I understand that Y is essential, but it’s equally crucial to consider Z
● To better understand Y, I’ll first give some background information
Take inspiration from the approach of a Top fintech Speaker in the UK who can seamlessly navigate discussions about complex financial topics, even when caught off guard.
Using the PREP (Point-Reason-Evidence-Point) framework is a powerful tactic to speak with confidence when put on the hot seat or caught off guard. Even if you don’t have much time to prepare talking points, this framework can help you deliver your message succinctly while outlining more points to demonstrate how much evidence you have for your viewpoint.
Here is what this framework looks like in real life
● Point: I believe we should adjust X
● Reason: Our client gave us positive feedback about this approach
● Evidence: For instance, our sales numbers back up our claim
● Point: That’s why I’m sold on adjusting X
The PREP framework works well for making single contributions to meetings or structuring entire presentations. It helps to organize your thoughts and keeps your listeners glued to you.
77% of the population experience some level of anxiety when speaking under the spotlight. Research also shows that stress can cause people to talk too fast, making their speech mumbled. If you feel nervous, consciously slow your speech. Your audience will get a better listening experience, even if it will initially feel slow.
One trick to handle your nerves and maintain a steady speed is to pause every 5-12 words during your presentation. Take a deep breath to give your audience time to hear, digest, and understand your point. It also allows you to mentally reset and prepare for the next part of your answer.
The beauty of these confidence-building strategies is their sheer practicality. You can use them anywhere, in any setting where you are suddenly put on the spot or even in a court of law where you may not have all the answers. Over time, these principles will become second nature to you, and you’ll be able to convey more confidence in your speaking.
