Spontaneous Speaking on Call

The present reality of business is one that is constantly fluid for a long period of time. Immediate responses are demanded for situations in order to resolve them as quickly as possible, and address the next issue.

Communication corresponds to response, and so, communicating quickly is required as well. The resulting outcome in business is that spontaneous speaking takes a greater presence than planned speaking.

And it happens more than you think. Do you always have to plan your speaking when you, say, introduce someone to others, or express a new idea you had in mind? At the end of a group call, you  wouldn’t possibly be able to plan the questions you’re going to be asked, would you? Here’s the good news, though. Spontaneous speaking on call only needs 3 steps.

Step 1: Move out of your own way

Believe it or not, the first thing that gets in your way when speaking spontaneously is you. It’s human nature for wanting to do well, for giving the right answer, and making sure everything you say is meaningful. But quite simply, this works against you, in that you are likely to judge what you intend to say and weigh it against whatever your internal criteria are. This will risk decreasing the effort you can put into speaking spontaneously.

Don’t simply go for excellence, focus first of all accomplishing the task at hand. This is regardless of  whether it’s answering the question, providing feedback, or so on. Reducing the pressure you put on yourself automatically increase the chances of doing well.

Of course, this is easier said than done. You are working against habits that you’ve developed over the course of your life. But by giving yourself permission to respond in the moment, rather than get it right, you can get out of your own way and speak well.

Step 2: See Opportunities Over Challenges

Getting out of your own way is one thing. But how you see the situation you find yourself in is completely another. The spontaneous speaking situation is not a challenge, certainly not a threat. It helps probe and make clearer what you have in mind, perhaps even improve upon what you already said per your prepped lines! To that extent, it should be seen as an opportunity.

For example, let’s look at a Q&A session after a review call. By having questions comments and concerns posed, you have a brilliant opportunity to spontaneously illuminate the participants with due chances to understand and engage with dialogue.

The problem with seeing spontaneous speaking as a challenge is that you’re likely to do the bare minimum for responses, as you are protecting yourself, or going on the defensive. If you see it instead  as an opportunity where you have a chance to elaborate on what you already have said, you will be able to interact in a more connected, collaborative way with your audience. It’s also a very good opportunity to show company your dedication and commitment to their mission and vision.

Consequently. these situations where you show prowess of in-the-moment speaking bring you opportunities wherein you are actively involved in the company’s finer interactions, such as with a professional networking call. (We’ve got tips for that too, here! )

Improvising serves as an asset during  this type of situational reframing. One great example during such interactions here would be the “yes, and” mindset. This directs improvisers not only to embrace whatever inputs the participant provides, but to expand on those inputs as well. As a result, what you have is an opening of opportunities not just in spontaneous speaking, but in life too!
 

Step 3: Leverage Structure

With you moved out of your own way, and your situation reframed, the time for response is set. But remember, you’re responding, not rambling on about whatever you have in mind. Even when spontaneous, your response needs to be thought-out . The best way to present it like so is to respond in a structured manner. Structure is critical since it corresponds to the fluency of information processing. In simpler terms, the effectiveness with which your inputs are assimilated is subject to how you structure and present it. One way to structure it would be the problem-solution-benefit approach. Follow this sequence:

• Start by clearly identifying and elaborating on what the problem/issue is.
• Discuss alternatives to solving it.
• Walk the participants through benefits and costs of following through on said alternatives.

Of course, just saying what to do is quite easy. Practicing is the hard part. But not to worry. The right communication tool can help with this, one such being MultiCall. With the ability to call many like calling one, it proves useful to practice spontaneous speaking. Here’s how:

Helping you prepare

MultiCall assists in preparation toward the coordination of the call itself. You get to initiate an instant call by clicking ‘Call Now’ and adding whomsoever you wish to bring together in the MultiCall. Additionally, the Call Monitoring feature assists with the ability to add contacts. You can add contacts from your own phone directory one by one, or set them into frequently contacted groups and favourites as well.

Train and listen to yourself

It is difficult to know what went right or wrong in spontaneous speaking without any material to go over. Going merely by memory may not be reliable enough. Recording would be appropriate to allow analysis word-for-word. MultiCall’s Call Monitoring helps here with the ability to record during calls. In the process, a multitude of possible scenarios are addressed.

Spotting opportunities

Seeing spontaneous speaking as an opportunity starts with spotting opportunities in such calls.  Consider this scenario during a professional networking call; one person may regularly confer or check with another in the call before responding. It’s probable that networking with both would be opportune to take the conversation forward, especially with follow up communications. In this manner, recording would help in getting to know the culture of a group that is participating in said conference call; helping to optimize future interactions.

Spontaneous speaking situations come down to two parts done simultaneously : knowing what to say and how to say it. By using the right communication tool, moving out of your own way, reframing your situations as opportunities rather than threats, and leveraging structures, you will be able to think on your feet, talk smart, and stand out as a  confident, and connected professional who’s spontaneous.