Claudia Raab's Blog

It's the time of one Christmas function and Christmas function speech chasing  the other. The more socially engaged you are (or have to be) the more speeches you have to listen to or give.

If your speech is coming up soon and you want it to be new, better and different from the standard ones we've heard so many times before try "mind mapping". "Mind mapping" will help you find a new approach, new idea, even a new way of wording well known old facts easily and quickly.

Mind mapping is a diagram that visually represents an idea or a word with as many associations as you like. Take a blanc page, preferably A4 or larger, write a word you like to find inspiration for in the very middle, circle it in and write or event paint what ever word, idea, picture you can think of close to your centre word.

Circle it in, too, and link it with a line to your first word. Find as many associations to the centre word as possible. Continue to do the same for your secondary words, etc. until your page is full. Be creative and don't restrict yourself. Jot down whatever comes to your mind - even if you consciously can't understand why you made the connection between the two words you have chosen.

Once it's done, lean back and sort through all your writing or painting and see how you can use some or even all of them in your speech. You'll find that your mind map provides you with a totally new perspective and let's you see an "old" topic from a new, fresh angle which is beneficial for your speech.

Think outside the square and see how this will catch your audience attention immediately! Have fun! You'll be surprised how great your results are!