Say what you mean — S.I.R.
| You are attending an important meeting, where you want to make a good impression, and someone asks you for information. You are making a sales presentation to a valued prospective client, and you need to give answers to some very pointed questions. You are interviewing for a job you want very much, and you need to describe your past successes. In these situations, too often we give way to the stress of the moment, offering our responses in hesitant, unimpressive, even garbled speeches.
Why is it, though, that some people have the knack of somehow mustering their resources in these situations, collecting their thoughts and offering organized, cohesive responses? Well, even though it seems like a natural attribute, this is a skill that can be learned by following a simple formula whose initials form the the acronym “S.I.R.” The letters stand for “Statement—Information—Re-statement”. Consider the following: Statement—I can’t complete the monthly report yet, because some information is missing. Information— •Eastern Region has not submitted its sales figures; •There were errors in the Southern Region figures and I am awaiting correction; and •I am awaiting clarification of the new reporting format. Re-statement—Although I still expect to complete the report on schedule, I wanted you to know why it is not ready for your approval yet. In a situation where your manager asks for a report you are not ready to present, can you see how this way of saying so puts you in a better light than simply mumbling that you don’t have the numbers yet? The impression this statement creates is of an organized, well thought-out position. Let’s look more closely at the structure. The initial statement is your basic position. Take a moment to decide the main point you want to make, then express it simply and clearly. Next is the information. One of the factors that makes this work well is the provision of three pieces of information. As human beings, we have a psychological affinity for the number three. We like things expressed in threes: I came, I saw, I conquered; red, white and blue; Tom, Dick and Harry. If we give only two, the listener is left hanging, waiting for number three. So, figure out a way to make three statements of information, and you might even count them off on three fingers for emphasis. You can have more than one sentence for each, but you should clearly enumerate the three points. When you make your re-statement, take the opportunity to add something. In this example, I reassure my manager that I still expect to complete the report on schedule even though I don’t have it now. By stating my case in this way, I deflect the manager’s questions about why I don’t have the report, instead sounding as though I have the situation under control. You can easily practise formatting information in this way. Just ask yourself some questions: What do you think of the government’s position on a current issue? What do you like about living in your home city? If you were the president of your company, how would you improve relations with employees? Take a moment to frame your answers in the S.I.R. format, and make the questions increasingly conplex as you learn the technique. Remember, when someone asks you a question, you don’t have to spit out the answer without hesitation. It’s perfectly acceptable to take a moment to think before speaking. Politicians are experts at making time to frame their responses. “That’s an interesting question” is simply a device that buys time to decide what to say. You can do the same thing. Body language, such as placing the forefinger over pursed lips and looking towards the ceiling for a moment, clearly says “I am thinking”. You might even choose to say something like, “Give me a moment to think about that” before framing your statement. We often feel we must respond immediately, even though we are not sure of what we want to say. As a result, we stumble over the words and even say something other than what we meant—only to think of the perfect answer after the meeting is over! If you have a trusted colleague or friend, work together so that you can both perfect the S.I.R. technique. When I was in the early years of high school, I used to walk to school with a friend every morning. We developed the habit of speaking French as we walked. Even though our fractured “French” would probably have horrified our language teacher, it did force us to think about the words and even consult the dictionary for those we didn’t know. I am sure it helped us understand the value of the language and, in the long run, increased our knowledge. You can use the same technique to perfect the S.I.R. method. Make a habit of throwing questions at each other on a variety of topics, and see how long it takes you to come up with the appropriate S.I.R. answer. You’ll find it becomes easier with practice, and before long you will surprise yourself with the fluency of your “mini-speeches”. The ability to think on one’s feet and convey a message succinctly with little or no preparation is a highly regarded skill in business, and one well worth cultivating for the sake of your career. © 2004 Helen Wilkie All Rights Reserved. You may reprint this article for your online or print publication so long as you include the complete article and the following paragraph: Helen Wilkie is a professional speaker, consultant and author who helps companies do better business through better communication. Her latest book is "The Hidden Profit Center". To received free monthly tips and techniques on communication, visit http://www.mhwcom.com or http://www.HiddenProfitCenter.com and sign up for "Communi-keys". Reach Helen Wilkie at 416-966-5023 or hwilkie@mhwcom.com |
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