By Dr. Ken Broda Bahm:
Let’s say that you are facing a creative challenge and you need to come up with a great idea. Do you retreat, take your time, think it through and then come back with a winner? Or do you seize the chance to be quick on your feet and start spitballing ideas right off the bat? Well, if you’re like most of us, then you will sometimes opt for one approach, and sometimes for the other approach. It depends on the situation, the challenge, or your mood. But you probably have a general preference. Speaking for myself, I tend to prefer to do my quality thinking when I’m on my own (maybe that’s why I’m a blogger). But when it comes to perceptions of credibility and charisma, the win goes to the quick thinker.
A recent essay in Psyblog highlights an interesting new study confirming this advantage for quick thinking. The study (von Hippel et al., 2015) administered a mental processing quiz to 417 participants who were also rated on charisma by their peers. The researchers found that people who are quick on their feet, responding rapidly and exhibiting a higher mental processing speed, are viewed as more charismatic. Even after controlling for personality and intelligence, speed wins out. It turns out that speed, and not just brevity, is the “soul of wit.” The lead author, professor William von Hippel, explained, “When we looked at charismatic leaders, musicians, and other public figures, one thing that stood out is that they are quick on their feet.” That quickness mattered more than either mental agility or I.Q. “We found that how smart people were was less important than how quick they are.” As with many of the other qualities of good communication, this is not a matter of fate or genetics. It is a matter of what you practice. In this post, I will share some thoughts on ways to exercise that quick-thinking muscle.
Be Quick
There might be something about the legal environment that encourages a slow and ponderous style. If you are worried about sticking to the facts in evidence, keeping the law straight, and avoiding objections, then you’ll want to chose your words carefully. But if that slows you down, then the resulting style can be pretty hard to listen to. Carefully picking…one…word…after…another…encourages the listener’s mind to wander. Not only does it drain your charisma (based on the current study), but research also shows that audiences will engage in more counterargument against your message when you give them more time to do so. In persuasive settings, audiences do best in response to a “quick conversational” speed, or a rate that is at the higher end of what we experience in normal conversation.
Work Together
Even if it goes against your natural preferences, it helps to spend some of your work time in dialogue and not just in solitary analysis. Individuals working within groups will generate ideas differently. The results are not always better, of course, but by engaging in a group discussion, you are sharpening your abilities to think quickly, and that is a skill that is impressive when it is just you in front of an audience. When working within a team, the focus shouldn’t be on agreement. Disagreement, even fighting within your team, works better.
Don’t Pass Up On-Your-Feet Opportunities
Experienced litigators know there is no substitute for the on-your-feet experience of arguing a motion or trying a case. Associates and newer litigators relish those opportunities. In an era of declining trials, more than a few experienced litigators wish they had that chance more often. So in addition to taking those opportunities, it also makes sense to create them: Run a mock trial, organize a practice hearing, or at least gather some people from the office to listen and fire questions as you practice your oral argument. The time you spend on your feet is time spent sharpening your skills in mental quickness. And the research says that just adds to your charisma.
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Other Posts on Mental Processing:
- Time Your Arguments to the Judge’s Lunch Breaks (and Adapt to All Decision Makers’ “Cognitive Load”)
- Incubate in Order to Innovate
- Make Your Jurors “Structure Builders”
- Be Creative (in All 14 Ways)
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von Hippel, W., Ronay, R., Baker, E., Kjelsaas, K., & Murphy, S. C. (2015). Quick Thinkers Are Smooth Talkers: Mental Speed Facilitates Charisma. Psychological science, 27(1), 119-122.
Image Credit: 123rf.com, used under license, edited