Today, our intern, Bethany Whiteman, shares tips on how to effectively “think on your feet” when you find yourself in situations that require quick and concise responses.
“Here at VPM, we work in an extremely fast-paced environment. Because of this, our team is constantly finding ourselves in situations where we need to ‘think on our feet,’ or think fast. Although this method of thinking doesn’t come naturally to all, it can be easily learned. Here are a few tips that I have found to be helpful when I need to think on my feet at work:
Have the question repeated
Don’t be afraid to have a question or comment be repeated. There is nothing wrong with having confirmation on what has just been said or asked of you. Better to hear it twice then guessing what was previously said and responding with a weak answer. This will give you the chance to listen for keywords that might have been missed the first time around so that you can formulate a clear and concise answer.
Jog your memory
Now that you know exactly what has been said, take a moment to think back in your mind to what the question is asking. There is absolutely no need to rush. If the question pertains to where something is located, try to think of the last time you were using it. If your coworker is asking if you know how to use somehting in particular, like an Adobe program or social management dashboard, don’t be afraid to speak up and explain exactly what you do and do not know. Acknowledging all of your strengths and weaknesses will show your coworkers and boss that you’re aware of your capabilities and want to learn more.
Ask for feedback
Make sure to ask for feedback on your answer to a question that is asked of you. It’s always good to known how or why your advice might have been helpful or not. This will allow you to be better prepared the next time someone asks a question about something specific that you’re working on or familiar with.”