We all know the importance of preparation & practice in doing anything. But the question is how much preparation is required to communicate confidently, and what if you have been put on the spot with literally no time or scope for preparation? Can we still communicate confidently?

It is possible to communicate confidently even when there is very little time to prepare. But for this to happen, we must change how we think or prepare before communicating. Usually, before we speak, we try to gather our thoughts, and while gathering ideas, we typically think of the content. This is the fundamental mistake which leads us to either speak too less or too much, as we cannot come up with the exact amount of content that needs to be spoken. Instead, what needs to be done while gathering our thoughts is to think of the structure through which we can communicate. Think of the structure as a dam built on the river. The dam regulates the flow of water; in case the dam is not there, the water will overflow and create havoc. Similarly, without structure, our thoughts can create havoc, and we may go all over the place trying to convey our ideas. Once the structure is in place, the content will automatically flow in, provided you have a good hold on the subject. This is called structured communication. A simple example of this is “Why, What & How.” Once this structure is in our minds, filling the appropriate content would be relatively easy as this structure is straightforward and can be applied to any topic or situation.

So, when someone puts you in a spot next time, or you must communicate when you have significantly less time to prepare, try structured communication and let me know about your experience in the comment section…

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