Extemporaneous Speaking

An extemporaneous presentation is one that is given with little or no advance preparation. For example, a manager may call an emergency staff meeting to handle a crisis. In such situations, there are no written notes, handouts, or PowerPoint presentation. Everything that is discussed is relevant at that specific time and may not necessarily be an organized list of talking points.

There are advantages to using this type of presentation over a memorized and planned presentation. The most obvious advantage is the convenience. There will be situations where one may not be able to memorize and record their presentation in advance, much like the one previously discussed. “Trying to memorize will only make you more nervous and you will find yourself thinking more about the words and not about the message” (Laskowski, 1997, ¶. 1). In the case of an emergency, an extemporaneous presentation would clearly be the best choice.

Other advantages are more subtle. If your goal is to persuade, an extemporaneous presentation may be the best choice. Imagine being the CEO of a large firm. You have met with two employees who are competing for a promotion to the same managerial position. In your meeting with employee A, he takes out a list of valuable contributions that he made to the firm and begins to recite reasons why he should be promoted. Employee B simply discusses, from memory, her valuable contributions and why she would make the best manger. If both presentations are well delivered, the edge would go to the more convincing presenter. In a case like this, the extemporaneous presentation would seem more genuine and may clinch that managerial position for employee B. "The fact is that notes detract from speeches because they prompt the person using them to focus on a piece of paper rather than on the audience. When this happens, a wall separates the speaker from his group. All of the elements that make a good speech—drama, impact and credibility—are lost" (Stevens, 1989, ¶. 3).

References:

Laskowski, L. J., (1997). Impromptu or Extemporaneous Speaking. Retrieved September 17, 2008, from: http://www.ljlseminars.com/imprompt.htm

Stevens, M., (1989). Importance of making your speeches come alive. The Washington Times. Retrieved September 17, 2008, from: LexisNexis Academic.