I wish I’d get this question from advanced speakers*, because I would say: YES.

*to clarify, by “advanced speakers” I mean: managers who present in business situations all the time and no one ever gives them useful feedback so they think they’re great and they never improve. Sometimes they’re good speakers, sometimes they’re not.

I know all about advanced speakers because I am one (believe me, there’s nothing to brag about), Here’s the thing:  they rarely practice.  They know their subject matter perfectly and could talk about it for hours and hours.  They don’t need to practice, right?

Herein lies the rub, as they say, a twist on the common cognitive bias called “the curse of knowledge”.

It goes something like this:

“I know a lot about my business so I don’t need to plan out my presentations.  I can ask my assistant to update a PowerPoint they made for the last presentation I gave, then I talk through the slides as they pop up. Or not. I can just rattle off the important things as they come to mind.

I’m a boss – they have to listen to me.  And no one has ever complained – so I just keep it up.”

Or, put more nicely … “because I’m insanely busy, I just stick with my usual process which is safe and requires very little preparation time”.

WAIT!! What if you could get better results (support for projects, investment, sales, new collaborations) faster and more efficiently just by being a better speaker?

As you guessed from my opening, taking time to rehearse would be a good antidote.  So would practicing in front of colleagues or a trusted coach who can give you useful, actionable feedback. Even recording your own practice session with your smartphone and analyzing what you see and hear would be highly effective.

But those all take time—time well spent—but what if you don’t have it?

Learn to IMPROVISE

I know you THINK you’ve been doing that all along, but were probably JUST WINGING IT.

Improvised speaking is planned out (even if for just a few seconds).  It has

    • a logical sequence.
    • It is goal-oriented.
    • It is concise.
    • It has a clear opening
    • and a memorable closing.

Should you take an improv class? YES!

Now, you COULD take a theatrical improv class.  That’s a great way to think on your feet, quickly and creatively. Also you’d learn how to tell stories, involve your listeners and include emotional impact. All good stuff, and a LOT of fun!

But if your time is limited and you want to cut straight to the chase for Business Speaking – you would benefit from a SPEECH IMPROV class. You would learn how to improv(e) your message by honing it down to the essential elements so you can get your message across clearly, guide your listeners’ comprehension and ultimately persuade them – even when you haven’t had time to practice your remarks.

No secret – we at WordWorks can help you and your team be more effective speakers and business presenters.

-Lisa Marie Gelhaus

 Drop me a message here on LinkedIn and ask me how you can become a better Business Improviser.