Do you struggle to elaborate your ideas effectively under pressure? Have you ever wondered why some people seem to effortlessly communicate their ideas, while others struggle to get their message across? Do you want to be more creative and flexible when presenting your ideas? Structured thinking could be the missing piece.
The use of simple, effective structures to frame your ideas helps you formulate your key message and deliver it clearly and precisely when under pressure whether presenting to a group, making a proposal to top management, or negotiating with a client.
Here are some reasons why structured thinking is so valuable:
1. Helps organise our thoughts
When we are under pressure, it can be challenging to organize our thoughts and communicate them clearly. However, by using a structured approach, we can break down our ideas into smaller, more manageable pieces. Then, by putting our ideas into logical, systematic frames or ‘plans’, we can ensure that our message is clear, concise and to-the-point.
2. Improves clarity and understanding
By organizing our thoughts and ideas in a logical and sequential manner, we make it easier for our audience to follow our message. This ensures that our message is received and understood as intended first time.
3. Saves time
A structured approach saves time. When we have a clear structure in place, we can communicate our message more quickly and efficiently. This can be especially important when we are under pressure and we need to communicate a complex message quickly.
4. Increases confidence
We feel better prepared and more in control – a few well-organised key words can help us remember our message and ensures we are never lost for words. This can significantly reduce the anxiety of an important presentation when all eyes are on you.
5. Gives us the freedom to be creative
Having a structured approach to presenting our ideas can actually give us the freedom to be more creative and flexible when elaborating. Creativity is not about spontaneously coming up with brilliant and innovative ideas on the spot but rather comes from having a framework or structure to work within. The structure provides a foundation for allowing us to build on our ideas freely, in a logical and coherent way.
In summary, a structured approach enables us to organize our thoughts quickly, improves clarity and understanding, saves time, increases confidence, and gives us freedom to elaborate our ideas creatively. So, the next time you find yourself under pressure to communicate effectively, remember the importance of structure and the benefits it can bring.
Think on your Feet® is a leading global training that develops the skills to organise and structure your thoughts quickly and present them clearly, concisely and memorably. For Hong Kong delivery, please see here or message me directly.
