Session Six – Thinking on Your Feet
Many of us, at least one time in our careers, have had to think on our feet, whether it was alone working on a project or at a meeting in front of a big group of people. People tend to feel pressure when they are put on the spot and asked to think on their feet, since it requires a bunch of self confidence. For example, let’s say you are in a meeting and your boss asks you to come up with a good marketing plan for the company…on the SPOT. And you have absolutely no idea what to say. What do you do? What do you say? How do you say it? What if you can’t think of anything to say?
Thinking on your feet is not an uncommon situation to be put into. Actually, when it comes down to it, it is more common of a situation to be in than we think. According to an article on mindtools.com, “thinking on your feet is a highly coveted skill and when you master it, your clever and astute responses will instill immediate confidence in what you are saying”. Confidence is surely the solution when it comes down to thinking on your feet. Think about it; whenever you are making a presentation or just simply sharing your ideas, you have to be knowledgeable of what you are talking about, otherwise you won’t be deemed as credible. And if you feel anxious when thinking on your feet, that confidence will aid you in remaining composed and unruffled when you’re surprisingly put in the hot seat.
Session six was surprisingly one of my favorites. It involved making our ideas clear and thinking on our feet. Dale Carnegie says when we speak, it is important to be able to express our opinions clearly, concisely, and convincingly, especially in unexpected or impromptu situations. When we are spontaneously asked to address a topic, we will need courage, confidence, the ability to organize thoughts quickly and the ability to express them in a coherent and persuasive way.
This session involved impromptu talks about different topics; ranging from your first date to your biggest regret. We were challenged to share with our classmates our fondest memories, struggles, and strengths. I believe this session challenged me because I was put into a situation where I not only had to think on my feet, but I had to think on my feet in front of a group of people, and it was regarding something more personal than others. This allowed me to be vulnerable and transparent; as well as giving me the courage to truly express and organize my thoughts and ideas speedily. It was difficult at first, but within the first 30 seconds of my talk, I realized that hey… this isn’t so bad. I can do this.
Session six definitely confronted my challenges of thinking on my feet, and pushed me to grow in that area. Afterwards I felt like I could take on anything, do anything. Share my stories with whomever and it doesn’t matter what others think because… they are my stories. And let me tell you, that was the best feeling in the world.
In the later part of the week, I will blog about session seven, reporting on principles within the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and how we have utilized principles in our daily personal and professional lives. This session was quite interesting, I have to say. I found fun ways to use my Dale Carnegie Principles. Stay tuned guys!!
Source: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/ThinkingonYourFeet.htm and “How to Win Friends and Influence People”
Photo credit: getentrepreneurial.com
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