> Ability to think clearly - Ability to encode into brain what you want to say - Deliver message
I think you'll have to practice for it: read a lot, take time to process and respond.
Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
21–30 of 106 posts
Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
#22toastmasters?
Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
#23The art of Rhetoric is one of the oldest and most venerable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetoric
You're going to want to familiarize yourself with fallacies and bias, to prevent and counteract your own.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases
Read the works of great writers and thinkers (E.g. the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Aurelius https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations also I recommend Wendell Berry.)
Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
#24Toastmasters meetings have something called "table topics" where you need to give a short talk on a topic with only fifteen or so seconds of preparation.
It's great for developing the skill to figure out arguments, creating a framework for talking etc.
Generally speaking, this whole thing is like a physical skill and you need to practice. The TM meetings give you a place to do that.
Also, don't underestimate the value of looking presentable and confident.
Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
#25You have to adjust your speech to your audience, so the "without preparation" bit is dubious.
This is very important for more technical stuff. You also have to start very slowly, so that you can lay the groundwork for everyone to understand you.
No matter how clearly you think you speak, you have to get feedback from different people.
Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
#26I highly recommend “The Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing and Thinking” by Barbara Minto. It will change the way you think about communication, especially in a business context.
Exactly this. I was working with the managing director of a large-cap (> $2B market cap) pharmaceutical consulting company who was able to explain really complicated, interconnected topics with ease, in a way that was really easy for others to understand. He was like a guide on a metaphorical hike, you were with him every step of the way no matter how many levels you went down the rabbit hole.
Through his communication, he had an uncanny ability to persuade. I mean, he laid everything out in an easy to understand way, and you either agreed or disagreed. It’s easy to agree when a person has seemingly answered all your questions and concerns without you even asking.
One day in his office, I asked him, how did you become so good at communicating really complex topics? He sat back, thought for a beat, and then jumped up towards his book case. “This!” He handed me his copy of the Minto Pyramid Principle scribbled with notes in the margin and all.
Needless to say, after reading that book, I was able to see immediately how those principles applied to him.
Of course it takes lots and lots of practice even after you understand the concepts. But the Minto Pyramid Principle comes highly recommended!
Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
#27Toastmasters meetings have something called "table topics" where you need to give a short talk on a topic with only fifteen or so seconds of preparation. It's great for developing the skill to figure out arguments, creating a framework for talking etc. Generally speaking, this whole thing is like a physical skill and you need to practice. The TM meetings give you a place to do that. Also, don't underestimate the valu…
Is there a guide anywhere on how to run or coach these?
(Besides going to a toastmasters event or reading a summary, not a guide for running/coaching them, on toastmasters.org)
Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
#28therapy
Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
#29Join toastmasters. It's an international club created for the purpose of helping members become better at public speaking. There is some theory and coaching, but a lot of it is just giving regular small and large opportunities to speak within a structured environment.
If you don't have access to that, join an improv troupe, a theater troupe, a local group that tries to educate the public on a political issue you care about, or some other group related to your interests where there are opportunities for discussion.
I do recommend toastmasters if it's something you have access to.
Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?
#30Toastmasters meetings have something called "table topics" where you need to give a short talk on a topic with only fifteen or so seconds of preparation. It's great for developing the skill to figure out arguments, creating a framework for talking etc. Generally speaking, this whole thing is like a physical skill and you need to practice. The TM meetings give you a place to do that. Also, don't underestimate the valu…
Is there a guide anywhere on how to run or coach these? (Besides going to a toastmasters event or reading a summary, not a guide for running/coaching them, on toastmasters.org)
toastmasters.org