Their was a great guidance share in one of the meetings, I will try to portray it better. A nice way to look at inner self.
There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."
1. You will be able to do many things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone's hand.
2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.
3. You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
4. The most important part of you will always be what's inside.
5. On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write."
The Pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
1. You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand and allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.
3. You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
4. The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.
5. On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.
Allow the parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.
Cheers !!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
High gravity
Postmodernist identities
1. searching for self in the fast moving world
and
2. Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra
And if you are an Hegelian or as fucked up as I am then you’ll see the whole cycle. Humans.
Once Arthur Schopenhauer was visiting a famous green house in Dresden, Germany. He was captivated by a particular plant and spent an unusual amount of time studying it. The curator of the house, taking him for a biologist asked him - ” Sir, who are you?”
Schopenhauer slowly turned around and regarded the curator for a moment and replied "If you could only answer that question for me, I would be eternally grateful."
References IMDB for the movies and SGI for wisdom to explore the black hole around me.
1. searching for self in the fast moving world
and
2. Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra
And if you are an Hegelian or as fucked up as I am then you’ll see the whole cycle. Humans.
Once Arthur Schopenhauer was visiting a famous green house in Dresden, Germany. He was captivated by a particular plant and spent an unusual amount of time studying it. The curator of the house, taking him for a biologist asked him - ” Sir, who are you?”
Schopenhauer slowly turned around and regarded the curator for a moment and replied "If you could only answer that question for me, I would be eternally grateful."
References IMDB for the movies and SGI for wisdom to explore the black hole around me.
A reason to Hate you
It is been a long awaited words banging here and there, never got time to shape up my thought process in poetic form,someone said it right Writing is a slow poison.
No!
You are mistaken.
I did not
hate you when
you seduced me that night
and
dropped me like a fulfilled dream.
No!
I did not
hate you when
you pretended
to be busy
and
did not
return my calls
But,
I hated you
when
you split wine on my new skirt
and
tried to wipe it off with your tie,
Of all the things.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
A game of 0 & 1- When Digital Disaster Strikes
What is the degree of possibility (I know, degree is associated more with probability than possibility, yet) that your life is contained in the binary notation of a hard-disk? It will vary. From you to me. As lives become more digitally stored and lived, a hard-disk crash can account for a major event in your life.
Funnily, an “Invalid Node Error” occurring on a hard-disk is covered by a three-year warranty through an email residing on the corrupt hard-disk. Talk about irony.
I can almost imagine the dialogue when I take the machine to a service centre.
Losing access to your digital self can be daunting. And I have experienced it twice in the last three months. After the initial seven-minute itch, this time however, I was very normal. So here I am, back on paper, writing for an online medium, staring at a handwriting that has gone really bad.
In my mind, I pose a few questions in front of the mirror.
What is the value of an identity? Is it itself or does it become the medium that makes it possible? Do you travel the world from the confines of your desk, or do you go to the world? The classic hardware/software supremacy argument. When and how did the vehicle become more important than the passenger? Why do we admire the vehicle more than the one who drives it? Why do we decide the character of a person by the vehicle he drives, rather than (for example) how he drives it?
My camera wails for a day out.
My books scream to be out of cardboard boxes.
My movies beg to be seen.
My self yearns to live in my land.
In a single day I have experienced a wild roller-coaster of emotion sets.
From a crashed hard-disk to owning my new car in a span of four hours.
The evolution of verbiage in this post and the metaphors, you will acknowledge are just a natural coincidence.
Funnily, an “Invalid Node Error” occurring on a hard-disk is covered by a three-year warranty through an email residing on the corrupt hard-disk. Talk about irony.
I can almost imagine the dialogue when I take the machine to a service centre.
Losing access to your digital self can be daunting. And I have experienced it twice in the last three months. After the initial seven-minute itch, this time however, I was very normal. So here I am, back on paper, writing for an online medium, staring at a handwriting that has gone really bad.
In my mind, I pose a few questions in front of the mirror.
What is the value of an identity? Is it itself or does it become the medium that makes it possible? Do you travel the world from the confines of your desk, or do you go to the world? The classic hardware/software supremacy argument. When and how did the vehicle become more important than the passenger? Why do we admire the vehicle more than the one who drives it? Why do we decide the character of a person by the vehicle he drives, rather than (for example) how he drives it?
My camera wails for a day out.
My books scream to be out of cardboard boxes.
My movies beg to be seen.
My self yearns to live in my land.
In a single day I have experienced a wild roller-coaster of emotion sets.
From a crashed hard-disk to owning my new car in a span of four hours.
The evolution of verbiage in this post and the metaphors, you will acknowledge are just a natural coincidence.
An awesome prayer
दरारें-दरारें है माथे पे मौला
मरम्मत मुकद्दर की कर दो मौला।
A friend who doubles as my Urdu consultant and dictionary was not very pleased with the word for “repair” in this song. I was asking a question that wasn’t relevant to this line, yet she had to make known, her displeasure (which, of course did sound more like disapproval, then).
Why, I asked?
The word repair is so incongruent with the word destiny, she said. I ran far and wide in the dark corridors of my mind to find a response. She is very strong in her language and I didn’t want to sound Urdu-illiterate (though I am). Unable to find any argument worth deploying at that time, I let go.
Only to get back to her later, i.e today afternoon.
I asked her the proper meanings of the words मरम्मत (marammat) and मुकद्दर (muqaddar). Confirmed, that they meant repair and destiny, respectively. She added, vividly remembering our conversation from two weeks ago, that the choice of words came across as unsophisticated; it wasn’t incorrect and neither did it damage the context of the message.
I have come to love the song since I first heard it, in my office when two of my very best pals was singing with enjoying the work in their cubicle.Amit was on tabla and Praneet was giving direction to words, I was so much touched about the words viz e viz that it leads me to retrospect and to write about this beautiful prayer which open the doors to en route to heaven.This song, if you haven’t guessed (or do not read Devanagari or the font hasn’t rendered well on your browser) is the song “Arziyaan”, from Dilli 6 . Since the in congruent comment from my mom, I have been thinking a lot about this song; the love for it, however, growing and the interest strong as ever, if not more.
Today morning, I thought about the song, and this line in particular. Whilst allowing myself broad and loosely worded poetic license, I thought:
Fissures, fissures deep, etched on my forehead,
Fill them, fix them; repair my destiny, oh Lord!
I was wondering of the person who approaches God with a damaged, broken destiny. I wondered of myself in places of worship. How I have prayed, other than the prayers and the chants I have been taught, when I really wanted to reach out. I remember, when younger, I wasn’t thinking straight, I once prayed in English. It was a request-prayer of sorts. All the way back from the temple, I was gripped by a cold doubt; would my prayers be answered? What if He doesn’t accept prayers in English? What if He gives preference to prayers in the local dialect? I have been to temples where I saw folks engaged in vigorous and involved rituals. The environment and the perceptive belief system that I grew up in, caused some sense of insecurity — till such time I stopped going to temples and places of organised worship for the sake of prayer (I now visit them as a a tourist).
I (think I) understand my friend’s mild annoyance at the choice of the words. This is a poem and in the language employed, there is infinite scope to make things beautiful - effortlessly. Part of the annoyance probably comes from what we are accustomed to listening. Asking the Lord to “repair your destiny”, I agree, is unconventional prayer. However, there is a raw, unconstrained honesty in the request. That, to me encompasses all the beauty possible in a prayer. Devoid of convention, bereft of formulations, empty of sycophancy. I also imagine the state of the devotee — the pain and numb helplessness, where only restoration of destiny will help. Imagine the state, also, when there is only one who is capable of the repair. In many ways, it makes you experience the same that the singer is expressing.
There aren’t many songs I pay attention to, but one of my good friend Praneet, caused me to dwell on this for a long while and forced me to find and make meaning of what I hear with such joy. That is, perhaps, God’s way of answering prayers, through friends. When reduced to their minimalist state, all prayers are questions and all blessings are answers.
There is much beauty in this song; made delicate and pure, because of the unsophisticated presentation.
मरम्मत मुकद्दर की कर दो मौला।
A friend who doubles as my Urdu consultant and dictionary was not very pleased with the word for “repair” in this song. I was asking a question that wasn’t relevant to this line, yet she had to make known, her displeasure (which, of course did sound more like disapproval, then).
Why, I asked?
The word repair is so incongruent with the word destiny, she said. I ran far and wide in the dark corridors of my mind to find a response. She is very strong in her language and I didn’t want to sound Urdu-illiterate (though I am). Unable to find any argument worth deploying at that time, I let go.
Only to get back to her later, i.e today afternoon.
I asked her the proper meanings of the words मरम्मत (marammat) and मुकद्दर (muqaddar). Confirmed, that they meant repair and destiny, respectively. She added, vividly remembering our conversation from two weeks ago, that the choice of words came across as unsophisticated; it wasn’t incorrect and neither did it damage the context of the message.
I have come to love the song since I first heard it, in my office when two of my very best pals was singing with enjoying the work in their cubicle.Amit was on tabla and Praneet was giving direction to words, I was so much touched about the words viz e viz that it leads me to retrospect and to write about this beautiful prayer which open the doors to en route to heaven.This song, if you haven’t guessed (or do not read Devanagari or the font hasn’t rendered well on your browser) is the song “Arziyaan”, from Dilli 6 . Since the in congruent comment from my mom, I have been thinking a lot about this song; the love for it, however, growing and the interest strong as ever, if not more.
Today morning, I thought about the song, and this line in particular. Whilst allowing myself broad and loosely worded poetic license, I thought:
Fissures, fissures deep, etched on my forehead,
Fill them, fix them; repair my destiny, oh Lord!
I was wondering of the person who approaches God with a damaged, broken destiny. I wondered of myself in places of worship. How I have prayed, other than the prayers and the chants I have been taught, when I really wanted to reach out. I remember, when younger, I wasn’t thinking straight, I once prayed in English. It was a request-prayer of sorts. All the way back from the temple, I was gripped by a cold doubt; would my prayers be answered? What if He doesn’t accept prayers in English? What if He gives preference to prayers in the local dialect? I have been to temples where I saw folks engaged in vigorous and involved rituals. The environment and the perceptive belief system that I grew up in, caused some sense of insecurity — till such time I stopped going to temples and places of organised worship for the sake of prayer (I now visit them as a a tourist).
I (think I) understand my friend’s mild annoyance at the choice of the words. This is a poem and in the language employed, there is infinite scope to make things beautiful - effortlessly. Part of the annoyance probably comes from what we are accustomed to listening. Asking the Lord to “repair your destiny”, I agree, is unconventional prayer. However, there is a raw, unconstrained honesty in the request. That, to me encompasses all the beauty possible in a prayer. Devoid of convention, bereft of formulations, empty of sycophancy. I also imagine the state of the devotee — the pain and numb helplessness, where only restoration of destiny will help. Imagine the state, also, when there is only one who is capable of the repair. In many ways, it makes you experience the same that the singer is expressing.
There aren’t many songs I pay attention to, but one of my good friend Praneet, caused me to dwell on this for a long while and forced me to find and make meaning of what I hear with such joy. That is, perhaps, God’s way of answering prayers, through friends. When reduced to their minimalist state, all prayers are questions and all blessings are answers.
There is much beauty in this song; made delicate and pure, because of the unsophisticated presentation.
Life in Between
There is a life we plan to make, and live it.
( )
Then, there is a life that happens and we tag-along.
Where I put the parentheses between the two sentences above, is that very small world, where we dwell; our reality. This world is a tense space, a continuing pulsation between the push and pull of the two sentences. Yet, somehow, that space never breaks, in spite of the pressures that surround it.
The space is an important separator between the two sentences — without that space, one of the sentences has to die. The two sentences cannot coexist.
We often threaten the second sentence. We sometimes ask the first sentence to go away. Nothing happens. We continue to live within the parentheses. More often than not, this is what happens with most lives.
But, some lives resign. They kill the first sentence.
And, some lives rebel. They kill the second sentence.
Their world becomes meaningful. Not just an empty bracket.
( )
Then, there is a life that happens and we tag-along.
Where I put the parentheses between the two sentences above, is that very small world, where we dwell; our reality. This world is a tense space, a continuing pulsation between the push and pull of the two sentences. Yet, somehow, that space never breaks, in spite of the pressures that surround it.
The space is an important separator between the two sentences — without that space, one of the sentences has to die. The two sentences cannot coexist.
We often threaten the second sentence. We sometimes ask the first sentence to go away. Nothing happens. We continue to live within the parentheses. More often than not, this is what happens with most lives.
But, some lives resign. They kill the first sentence.
And, some lives rebel. They kill the second sentence.
Their world becomes meaningful. Not just an empty bracket.
Change - Changing life IN N OUT
I dunno why i am so much attached to the fucking word Change
'I' Think
c=k, something constant and to balance that 'k' out in every realm of our life we CHANGE.
Growth causes change. And growth is painful, right from your first set of teeth to the recent promotion in your professional or personal life. There is a native memory of that pain, and we often avoid change in anticipation of the growth pains.
Not everybody resists change. Many do, however. And they grow too. Those that display the graph of their fine evolution of growth, are the ones who are the most likely culprits of this resistance. They hoard the incremental changes that they never effected; invited. They are also the most likely to complain of a wickedness in the world or in the changing behavior of others or be so comfortable that they are oblivious to earthquakes even.
Then there those that effect change. And there is only one way, I believe, that they make the change happen. They embrace it with complete and utterly blind trust. Not in the result of what that change may bring, but in the change itself. The complete surrender. Because, there is no such thing as a better tomorrow. Either there is a tomorrow or there isn’t. Your notion of a better tomorrow is your today being recycled and realigned to make you believe that your today is better than yesterday. Take the last thirty days and run through them you will know what I mean.
Tomorrow can either be impregnated with the sameness of all your suspicions, cynicism and skepticism, or it can be the tomorrow that rids you of that sameness that you so despise, yet safeguard as a survival tool.
So think and Change .......
'I' Think
c=k, something constant and to balance that 'k' out in every realm of our life we CHANGE.
Growth causes change. And growth is painful, right from your first set of teeth to the recent promotion in your professional or personal life. There is a native memory of that pain, and we often avoid change in anticipation of the growth pains.
Not everybody resists change. Many do, however. And they grow too. Those that display the graph of their fine evolution of growth, are the ones who are the most likely culprits of this resistance. They hoard the incremental changes that they never effected; invited. They are also the most likely to complain of a wickedness in the world or in the changing behavior of others or be so comfortable that they are oblivious to earthquakes even.
Then there those that effect change. And there is only one way, I believe, that they make the change happen. They embrace it with complete and utterly blind trust. Not in the result of what that change may bring, but in the change itself. The complete surrender. Because, there is no such thing as a better tomorrow. Either there is a tomorrow or there isn’t. Your notion of a better tomorrow is your today being recycled and realigned to make you believe that your today is better than yesterday. Take the last thirty days and run through them you will know what I mean.
Tomorrow can either be impregnated with the sameness of all your suspicions, cynicism and skepticism, or it can be the tomorrow that rids you of that sameness that you so despise, yet safeguard as a survival tool.
So think and Change .......
Oxymoron - Painkiller Proofs
Well, I must confess I think abstract many times. Which is why I can relate very well to every abstract post of Gaizabonts. And here is my first attempt at putting it across.
One likes to ignore the tangle. The complex web of intricate relationships, discords and disagreements. When one refuses to admit there’s a web, it’s easy to deal with it. Go around it in a old deserted house as if it has to be there to complete it.
And there is disharmony only when one makes an attempt to untangle it, to break the cobwebs. The attempt to eliminate disharmony contributes to creating it. Or it makes one painfully aware that it was present and the aspect you tried to ignore is real. It removes the option of escaping. The safe and secure cocoons are shattered, just like the person who tried to untangle it.
Harsh but true!!!
One likes to ignore the tangle. The complex web of intricate relationships, discords and disagreements. When one refuses to admit there’s a web, it’s easy to deal with it. Go around it in a old deserted house as if it has to be there to complete it.
And there is disharmony only when one makes an attempt to untangle it, to break the cobwebs. The attempt to eliminate disharmony contributes to creating it. Or it makes one painfully aware that it was present and the aspect you tried to ignore is real. It removes the option of escaping. The safe and secure cocoons are shattered, just like the person who tried to untangle it.
Harsh but true!!!
Warm walk in my brain
Somehow, the onset of holidays and vacation is not bringing the kind of joy that I expected. This is a personal post. Pretty pensive.
This post is dedicated to all people who once shared something deep and real called friendship. And the very same who have drifted far.
This includes you all with whom I discuss all my plans for all my road trips, traveling, camping and for every 10 such intense plannings, one happens. All the reply-all mails with fun and frolic.
For all my Bangalore and Hyderabad Friends.
Life has lost its charm without all of you. The morning is a little less chirpy because your absence is felt. Our real and mock fights are substituted with a polite and diplomatic - How are you? Howz life? wassup?
The shopping till the last penny and thinking if we can afford to pay up when the credit card bill arrives and giggling about the whole thing is replaced with careful consideration and saying no. Well, wisdom, you see.
Your Good morning mails that used to arrive everyday and I’d taken for granted is now so so rare that I’ve given up even expecting it anymore. Missing the fight over the samosa where we used to call each other expletives for not being able to lay hands on the third samosa and eat everything like pigs..or say piglets?
Missing the privilege of pulling people out of cube where they’re doing something very urgent and important just because you want to drink juice and chatting for over an hour. More than everything, missing the liberty I’ve taken with all of you.
Fought with my inhibition of posting anything personal just because it makes me vulnerable. There’s just no point appearing strong when something inside wants the lost beauty and is hurting.
Life demands more than what we posses, need more realistic thought process where mind should over rule the brain to win every race in your life. It changes with course of environment including peers and friends and dear ones. you feel gay every time when you do something new or you just want to overcome to your past times, to feel better then what were you at that time.
Man life is much more demanding every time the moment you want to hold anyone to feel or to relax. Its like a joint to feel like heaven feel like flying, all is momentarily all is for couple of minutes and then something wet rolls out from your eyes to realize you what is real and what is fake. Everything is materialistic, greedy or just solving its purpose.
Now time has change heart inside has also changed and my mind is so acquainted for change that it looks like something new or happening should make feeel happy to survive every other moment.
Want to write more .. life is calling ..let me just brisk from here. Catch u all later...
Cheers!!!
This post is dedicated to all people who once shared something deep and real called friendship. And the very same who have drifted far.
This includes you all with whom I discuss all my plans for all my road trips, traveling, camping and for every 10 such intense plannings, one happens. All the reply-all mails with fun and frolic.
For all my Bangalore and Hyderabad Friends.
Life has lost its charm without all of you. The morning is a little less chirpy because your absence is felt. Our real and mock fights are substituted with a polite and diplomatic - How are you? Howz life? wassup?
The shopping till the last penny and thinking if we can afford to pay up when the credit card bill arrives and giggling about the whole thing is replaced with careful consideration and saying no. Well, wisdom, you see.
Your Good morning mails that used to arrive everyday and I’d taken for granted is now so so rare that I’ve given up even expecting it anymore. Missing the fight over the samosa where we used to call each other expletives for not being able to lay hands on the third samosa and eat everything like pigs..or say piglets?
Missing the privilege of pulling people out of cube where they’re doing something very urgent and important just because you want to drink juice and chatting for over an hour. More than everything, missing the liberty I’ve taken with all of you.
Fought with my inhibition of posting anything personal just because it makes me vulnerable. There’s just no point appearing strong when something inside wants the lost beauty and is hurting.
Life demands more than what we posses, need more realistic thought process where mind should over rule the brain to win every race in your life. It changes with course of environment including peers and friends and dear ones. you feel gay every time when you do something new or you just want to overcome to your past times, to feel better then what were you at that time.
Man life is much more demanding every time the moment you want to hold anyone to feel or to relax. Its like a joint to feel like heaven feel like flying, all is momentarily all is for couple of minutes and then something wet rolls out from your eyes to realize you what is real and what is fake. Everything is materialistic, greedy or just solving its purpose.
Now time has change heart inside has also changed and my mind is so acquainted for change that it looks like something new or happening should make feeel happy to survive every other moment.
Want to write more .. life is calling ..let me just brisk from here. Catch u all later...
Cheers!!!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thinking On Your Feet
Staying Cool and Confident Under Pressure
"So, Susan, your report indicates you support forging ahead with the expansion but have you considered the impact this will have on our customers? Surely you remember the fiasco in Dallas last year when they tried the same type of project?"
Yikes! If you're Susan, you're likely feeling under pressure! You have to answer the question and allay the CEO's concerns about the disruption to customers. What do you do? What do you say? How do you say it? What if you can't think of anything to say?
This is not an uncommon situation. Whether you are put on the spot while attending a meeting, presenting a proposal, selling an idea, or answering questions after a presentation, articulating your thoughts in unanticipated situations is a skill. Thinking on your feet is highly coveted skill and when you master it, your clever and astute responses will instill immediate confidence in what you are saying.
When you can translate your thoughts and ideas into coherent speech quickly, you ensure your ideas are heard. You also come across as being confident, persuasive, and trustworthy.
Confidence is key when learning to think on your feet. When you present information, give an opinion or provide suggestions, make sure you know what you are talking about and that you are well informed. This doesn't mean you have to know everything about everything, but if you are reasonably confident in your knowledge of the subject, that confidence will help you to remain calm and collected even if you are put unexpectedly in the hot seat.
The secret of thinking on your feet is to be prepared: learn some skills and tactics, and do some preparation for situations that might put you under pressure. Then when you do find yourself faced with unexpected questions and debate, you'll be ready to draw on these tactics and preparation, and so stay poised while you compose your thoughts and prepare your response. Here are some tips and tactics:
1. Relax
This is often the opposite of how you are feeling when you're under pressure, but in order for your voice to remain calm and for your brain to "think", you have to be as relaxed as possible.
Take deep breaths
Take a second and give yourself a positive and affirming message
Clench invisible muscles (thighs, biceps, feet) for a few seconds and release.
2. Listen
It comes as no surprise that listening is critical to thinking on your feet. Why do you need to listen? To make sure you fully understand the question or request before you reply. If you answer too soon, you risk going into a line of thinking that is unnecessary or inappropriate. To help you with your listening remember to:
Look directly at the questioner
Observe body language as well as what is being spoken
Try to interpret what is being suggested by the question or request. Is this an attack, a legitimate request for more information, or a test? Why is this person asking this and what is the intention?
Tip:
Remember that the person is asking a question because he or she is interested. Some interest is positive - they simply want to know more - and some is negative - they want to see you squirm. Either way they are interested in what you have to say. It's your privilege and pleasure not to disappoint them!
3. Have the Question Repeated
If you're feeling particularly under pressure, ask for the question to be repeated. This gives you a bit more time to think about your response.
At first glance people think this will only make them look unsure. It doesn't. It makes you look concerned that you give an appropriate response. It also gives the questioner an opportunity to rephrase and ask a question that is more on point. Remember, the questioner may well have just "thought on his or her feet" to ask the question, so when you give them a second chance, the question may well be better articulated and clearer to all.
By asking to have the question repeated you also get another opportunity to assess the intentions of the questioner. If it is more specific or better worded, chances are the person really wants to learn more. If the repeated question is more aggressive than the first one, then you know the person is more interested in making you uncomfortable than anything else. When that's the case, the next tip comes in very handy.
4. Use Stall Tactics
Sometimes you need more time to get your thoughts straight and calm yourself down enough to make a clear reply. The last thing you want to do is blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind. Often this is a defensive comment that only makes you look insecure and anxious rather than confident and composed.
Repeat the question yourself. This gives you time to think and you clarify exactly what is being asked. It also allows you to rephrase if necessary and put a positive spin on the request. "How have I considered the impact on customers in order to make sure they have a continued positive experience during the expansion?"
Narrow the focus. Here, you ask a question of your own to not only clarify, but to bring the question down to a manageable scope. "You're interested in hearing how I've considered customer impacts. What impacts are you most interested in: product availability or in-store service? "
Ask for clarification. Again, this will force the questioner to be more specific and hopefully get more to a specific point. "When you say you want to know how I've analyzed customer impacts, do you mean you want a detailed analysis or a list of the tools and methods I used?"
Ask for a definition. Jargon and specific terminology may present a problem for you. Ask to have words and ideas clarified to ensure you are talking about the same thing.
5. Use Silence to your Advantage
We are conditioned to believe that silence is uncomfortable. However, if you use it sparingly, it communicates that you are in control of your thoughts and confident in your ability to answer expertly. When you rush to answer you also typically rush your words. Pausing to collect your thoughts tells your brain to slow everything down.
6. Stick to One Point and One Supporting Piece of Information
There's a high risk that, under pressure, you'll answer a question with either too much or too little information. If you give too short an answer, you risk letting the conversation slip into interrogation mode. (You'll get another question, and the questioner will be firmly in control of how the dialogue unfolds). When your reply is too long, you risk losing people's interest, coming across as boring, or giving away things that are better left unsaid. Remember, you aren't being asked to give a speech on the subject. The questioner wants to know something. Respect that and give them an answer, with just enough supporting information.
This technique gives you focus. Rather than trying to tie together all the ideas that are running through your head, when you pick one main point and one supporting fact, you allow yourself to answer accurately and assuredly.
Tip:
If you don't know the answer, say so. There is no point trying to make something up. You will end up looking foolish and this will lower your confidence when you need to think on your feet in the future. There is (usually) nothing wrong with not knowing something. Simply make sure you follow up as soon as possible afterwards with a researched answer.
7. Prepare some "what ifs"
With a bit of forethought, it's often possible to predict the types of questions you might be asked, so you can prepare and rehearse some answers to questions that might come your way. Let's say you are presenting the monthly sales figures to your management team. The chances are your report will cover most of the obvious questions that the management team might have, but what other questions might you predict? What's different about this month? What new questions might be asked? How would you respond? What additional information might you need to have to hand to support more detailed questions?
In particular, spend some time brainstorming the most difficult questions that people might ask, and preparing and rehearsing good answers to them.
8. Practice Clear Delivery
How you say something is almost as important as what you say. If you mumble or use "umm" or "ah" between every second word, confidence in what you are saying plummets. Whenever you are speaking with people, make a point to practice these key oration skills:
Speak in a strong voice. (Don't confuse strong with loud!)
Use pauses strategically to emphasize a point or slow yourself down
Vary your tone and pay attention to how your message will be perceived given the intonation you use
Use eye contact appropriately
Pay attention to your grammar
Use the level of formality that is appropriate to the situation.
9. Summarize and Stop
Wrap up your response with a quick summary statement. After that, resist adding more information. There may well be silence after your summary. Don't make the common mistake of filling the silence with more information! This is the time when other people are adsorbing the information you have given. If you persist with more information, you may end up causing confusion and undoing the great work you've already done in delivering your response.
Use words to indicate you are summarizing (i.e. "in conclusion," "finally") or briefly restate the question and your answer. So - what did I do to analyze customer impacts? I reviewed the Dallas case files in detail, and prepared a "What if" analysis for our own situation."
Key points:
No one enjoys being putting on the spot or answering questions that you aren't fully expecting. The uncertainty can be stressful. That stress doesn't need to be unmanageable and you can think on your feet if you remember the strategies we just discussed. Essentially, thinking on your feet means staying in control of the situation. Ask questions, buy time for yourself, and remember to stick to one point and make that one point count. When you are able to zoom in on the key areas of concern, you'll answer like an expert and you impress your audience, and yourself, with your confidence and poise.
Cheers!
"So, Susan, your report indicates you support forging ahead with the expansion but have you considered the impact this will have on our customers? Surely you remember the fiasco in Dallas last year when they tried the same type of project?"
Yikes! If you're Susan, you're likely feeling under pressure! You have to answer the question and allay the CEO's concerns about the disruption to customers. What do you do? What do you say? How do you say it? What if you can't think of anything to say?
This is not an uncommon situation. Whether you are put on the spot while attending a meeting, presenting a proposal, selling an idea, or answering questions after a presentation, articulating your thoughts in unanticipated situations is a skill. Thinking on your feet is highly coveted skill and when you master it, your clever and astute responses will instill immediate confidence in what you are saying.
When you can translate your thoughts and ideas into coherent speech quickly, you ensure your ideas are heard. You also come across as being confident, persuasive, and trustworthy.
Confidence is key when learning to think on your feet. When you present information, give an opinion or provide suggestions, make sure you know what you are talking about and that you are well informed. This doesn't mean you have to know everything about everything, but if you are reasonably confident in your knowledge of the subject, that confidence will help you to remain calm and collected even if you are put unexpectedly in the hot seat.
The secret of thinking on your feet is to be prepared: learn some skills and tactics, and do some preparation for situations that might put you under pressure. Then when you do find yourself faced with unexpected questions and debate, you'll be ready to draw on these tactics and preparation, and so stay poised while you compose your thoughts and prepare your response. Here are some tips and tactics:
1. Relax
This is often the opposite of how you are feeling when you're under pressure, but in order for your voice to remain calm and for your brain to "think", you have to be as relaxed as possible.
Take deep breaths
Take a second and give yourself a positive and affirming message
Clench invisible muscles (thighs, biceps, feet) for a few seconds and release.
2. Listen
It comes as no surprise that listening is critical to thinking on your feet. Why do you need to listen? To make sure you fully understand the question or request before you reply. If you answer too soon, you risk going into a line of thinking that is unnecessary or inappropriate. To help you with your listening remember to:
Look directly at the questioner
Observe body language as well as what is being spoken
Try to interpret what is being suggested by the question or request. Is this an attack, a legitimate request for more information, or a test? Why is this person asking this and what is the intention?
Tip:
Remember that the person is asking a question because he or she is interested. Some interest is positive - they simply want to know more - and some is negative - they want to see you squirm. Either way they are interested in what you have to say. It's your privilege and pleasure not to disappoint them!
3. Have the Question Repeated
If you're feeling particularly under pressure, ask for the question to be repeated. This gives you a bit more time to think about your response.
At first glance people think this will only make them look unsure. It doesn't. It makes you look concerned that you give an appropriate response. It also gives the questioner an opportunity to rephrase and ask a question that is more on point. Remember, the questioner may well have just "thought on his or her feet" to ask the question, so when you give them a second chance, the question may well be better articulated and clearer to all.
By asking to have the question repeated you also get another opportunity to assess the intentions of the questioner. If it is more specific or better worded, chances are the person really wants to learn more. If the repeated question is more aggressive than the first one, then you know the person is more interested in making you uncomfortable than anything else. When that's the case, the next tip comes in very handy.
4. Use Stall Tactics
Sometimes you need more time to get your thoughts straight and calm yourself down enough to make a clear reply. The last thing you want to do is blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind. Often this is a defensive comment that only makes you look insecure and anxious rather than confident and composed.
Repeat the question yourself. This gives you time to think and you clarify exactly what is being asked. It also allows you to rephrase if necessary and put a positive spin on the request. "How have I considered the impact on customers in order to make sure they have a continued positive experience during the expansion?"
Narrow the focus. Here, you ask a question of your own to not only clarify, but to bring the question down to a manageable scope. "You're interested in hearing how I've considered customer impacts. What impacts are you most interested in: product availability or in-store service? "
Ask for clarification. Again, this will force the questioner to be more specific and hopefully get more to a specific point. "When you say you want to know how I've analyzed customer impacts, do you mean you want a detailed analysis or a list of the tools and methods I used?"
Ask for a definition. Jargon and specific terminology may present a problem for you. Ask to have words and ideas clarified to ensure you are talking about the same thing.
5. Use Silence to your Advantage
We are conditioned to believe that silence is uncomfortable. However, if you use it sparingly, it communicates that you are in control of your thoughts and confident in your ability to answer expertly. When you rush to answer you also typically rush your words. Pausing to collect your thoughts tells your brain to slow everything down.
6. Stick to One Point and One Supporting Piece of Information
There's a high risk that, under pressure, you'll answer a question with either too much or too little information. If you give too short an answer, you risk letting the conversation slip into interrogation mode. (You'll get another question, and the questioner will be firmly in control of how the dialogue unfolds). When your reply is too long, you risk losing people's interest, coming across as boring, or giving away things that are better left unsaid. Remember, you aren't being asked to give a speech on the subject. The questioner wants to know something. Respect that and give them an answer, with just enough supporting information.
This technique gives you focus. Rather than trying to tie together all the ideas that are running through your head, when you pick one main point and one supporting fact, you allow yourself to answer accurately and assuredly.
Tip:
If you don't know the answer, say so. There is no point trying to make something up. You will end up looking foolish and this will lower your confidence when you need to think on your feet in the future. There is (usually) nothing wrong with not knowing something. Simply make sure you follow up as soon as possible afterwards with a researched answer.
7. Prepare some "what ifs"
With a bit of forethought, it's often possible to predict the types of questions you might be asked, so you can prepare and rehearse some answers to questions that might come your way. Let's say you are presenting the monthly sales figures to your management team. The chances are your report will cover most of the obvious questions that the management team might have, but what other questions might you predict? What's different about this month? What new questions might be asked? How would you respond? What additional information might you need to have to hand to support more detailed questions?
In particular, spend some time brainstorming the most difficult questions that people might ask, and preparing and rehearsing good answers to them.
8. Practice Clear Delivery
How you say something is almost as important as what you say. If you mumble or use "umm" or "ah" between every second word, confidence in what you are saying plummets. Whenever you are speaking with people, make a point to practice these key oration skills:
Speak in a strong voice. (Don't confuse strong with loud!)
Use pauses strategically to emphasize a point or slow yourself down
Vary your tone and pay attention to how your message will be perceived given the intonation you use
Use eye contact appropriately
Pay attention to your grammar
Use the level of formality that is appropriate to the situation.
9. Summarize and Stop
Wrap up your response with a quick summary statement. After that, resist adding more information. There may well be silence after your summary. Don't make the common mistake of filling the silence with more information! This is the time when other people are adsorbing the information you have given. If you persist with more information, you may end up causing confusion and undoing the great work you've already done in delivering your response.
Use words to indicate you are summarizing (i.e. "in conclusion," "finally") or briefly restate the question and your answer. So - what did I do to analyze customer impacts? I reviewed the Dallas case files in detail, and prepared a "What if" analysis for our own situation."
Key points:
No one enjoys being putting on the spot or answering questions that you aren't fully expecting. The uncertainty can be stressful. That stress doesn't need to be unmanageable and you can think on your feet if you remember the strategies we just discussed. Essentially, thinking on your feet means staying in control of the situation. Ask questions, buy time for yourself, and remember to stick to one point and make that one point count. When you are able to zoom in on the key areas of concern, you'll answer like an expert and you impress your audience, and yourself, with your confidence and poise.
Cheers!
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