Thinking Out Loud

by Dwayne Phillips

Some persons “think out loud.” This is okay only when done properly.

Some persons “think out loud.” They state a list of ideas quickly. This is a rough draft spoken instead of jotted on paper. The ideas are only partially formed and should be worked and reworked until they make sense.

That is fine, but only when done properly.

Persons, especially those in position of authority, need to provide context to what they say. If a person is “thinking out loud,” state that first so that everyone else knows what follows are partially formed ideas. Otherwise, everyone else may take the rough-draft-ideas as final direction. They immediately implement the thoughts — most of which should have been ignored.

“I’m thinking out loud, go with me a few minutes, and let’s see where this takes us.”

There, that isn’t too hard, is it? It allows the speaker to completely spew everything that it swirling in the mind.

And everyone else knows they can suggest changes to the speakers rough draft.