At various times in our careers we face serious questions: job interviews, board scrutiny, public forums, staff reorganization meetings. Being prepared is the best way to build our personal confidence and to convey authority to our interrogators.
"Rehearsal" is a method of preparing, once we have gathered all the facts to support our presentation, case or application. Usually we do this by mentally thinking of things we could say. While this is useful and can be done while walking down the street, setting time aside to concentrate is even more effective.
With dedicated time, writing out possible questions and answers is a more focussed way of preparing. Writing engages more parts of our brain, helping us to remember the key points in our hypothetical answers. It also enables us to analyze and revise those answers, amplifying important information and pruning extraneous points. Also, we can consult with colleagues to improve what information we might present.
Our most dangerous temptation in writing out potential questions is memorizing the possible answers. In that respect, "rehearsal" is not similar to delivering lines in a play. The benefit is understanding our own thoughts, gathering relevant facts, and identifying key issues before we are sweating under the stress of the limelight.
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