As I said in my last post, “Kind of Blue”, improvisational speaking is generally not as freeform as it seems. Even the most unplanned response requires a certain amount of structuring, if it is to make sense to the audience.
One common impromptu speaking technique that many experts recommend is the PREP method. That’s where you structure your talk by beginning with your Position (opinion), followed by a Reason and then an Example, before ending by restating your Position.
P–R–E–P is the mnemonic device meant to help the speaker remember what to say next. It’s a clean, classic, simple structure that is easy to use on the fly, but I don’t like it.
First of all, it is only appropriate for stating an opinion. That’s a common speaking situation, but far from the only case in which we are ever called upon to speak. Often, it is much more appropriate to give a general summary of events, an encouraging pat on the back, a swift kick in the ass, an illuminating analogy, a helpful tip or some other type of response. I’ve seen far too many speakers try to shoehorn a non-opinion statement into an ill-fitting PREP form.
The far more fundamental problem with the PREP structured response is that it is static. It has no arc. It is a fixed and inflexible opinion, and it does nothing to bring the listener along to reaching that opinion. Nobody likes having conclusions shoved down their throat. That’s partly why our political debates have become so ugly and contentious, and so ineffective at persuading anyone to change their views.
There is a principle in sales that you have to begin where your prospect is, meaning you first have to show that you understand, appreciate and respect the prospect’s view of the situation. Only then will he or she be willing to come along with you to another way of looking at it.
That’s what a change arc does for you. It not only shows that you respect your audience’s opinions, it also gives them an investment in yours, because they feel like they have participated in its creation.
It brings your listeners along for the journey. Once you’ve got them in the car, it’s up to you to take them someplace they want to go.
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