Effective Speaking in Spontaneous Situations

Jun 21, 2024

Review flashcards

Lecture on Effective Speaking in Spontaneous Situations

Introduction

  • Title: Effective Speaking in Spontaneous Situations
  • Purpose: Highly interactive and participative workshop on public speaking
  • Focus: Spontaneous speaking (vs. planned speaking)
  • Context: Originated from a survey of business school students on handling cold calls
  • Importance: Spontaneous speaking is more prevalent than planned speaking

Key Points

Anxiety Management

  • Prevalence: 85% of people are nervous about public speaking
  • Importance: Anxiety isn't to be overcome but managed

Techniques to Manage Anxiety

  1. Greeting Anxiety: Acknowledge anxiety as normal to prevent it from spiraling out of control
  2. Reframe as Conversation: Avoid thinking of speaking as a performance; use questions and conversational language
  3. Being Present-Oriented: Focus on the present moment using physical activities, music, or simple exercises like tongue-twisters

Interaction and Participation

  • Ground Rules: Engagement through activities
  • First Activity: Counting 'F's in a sentence to illustrate simple yet impactful concepts
  • Importance of Participation: Active learning through doing

Steps to Effective Spontaneous Speaking

Step 1: Get Out of Your Own Way

  • Activity: Shout the Wrong Name (point to objects and shout wrong names)
  • Concept: Dare to be dull, lower your own pressure

Step 2: Reframe as Opportunity

  • Activity: Gift Exchange (imaginary gifts with spontaneous explanations)
  • Concept: View speaking opportunities as positive experiences
  • Phrase: Yes, And (from improv, to open up conversational opportunities)

Step 3: Slow Down and Listen

  • Activity: Spell Everything (spell out words in a conversation)
  • Concept: Truly listen to understand
  • Phrase: Don’t just do something, stand there (listen before reacting)

Step 4: Use Structure

  • Importance of Structure: Enhances processing fluency for both speaker and audience

Useful Structures for Spontaneous Speaking

  1. Problem-Solution-Benefit: Identify and explain a problem, provide a solution, and highlight benefits
  2. What-So What-Now What: Describe what something is, why it’s important, and what the next steps are

Practical Application

  • Activity: Sell a slinky using either Problem-Solution-Benefit or What-So What-Now What structures
  • Debriefing: Analyze effectiveness of structures in helping manage content and delivery

Conclusion

  • Key Takeaways:
    1. Manage Anxiety
    2. Practice Four Steps for Effective Spontaneous Speaking
    3. Use Concrete Techniques and Structures
  • Additional Resources: Author's book and associated resources

Q&A Session

  • Handling Hostile Situations: Acknowledge emotion, reframe and respond
  • Engaging Remote Audiences: Use interactive techniques and technology
  • Cross-Examination Tips: Have themes and examples ready, use paraphrasing
  • Cultural Considerations: Understand audience's expectations, adjust accordingly
  • Using Humor: Be cautious, prefer self-deprecating humor

Speaker's Resources: Book: "Speaking Up Without Freaking Out"; Website: No Freaking Speaking