"Being articulate" is a skill I feel like I do not have, and I would like to practice this skill. Here are some concrete aspects of "being articulate":
- Speaking clearly
- Not using filler words "um", "uh", "like", "I guess", "So", ...
- Not starting a sentence, getting lost halfway through, and having to restart that sentence
- Using more professional vocab
- "Sound bite"-ability: subsets of my speech make sense on their own
- e.g. not "Um, so this is why that aspect is super crucial."
- Asking clear questions
- Often I feel like the question I want to ask is, "You know a lot about X, and I don't. Please talk about X for the next 2 minutes so I can absorb your knowledge." Unfortunately this is usually not socially acceptable. How to ask questions like these?
What concrete actions can I take to become more articulate?
Instead of saying "Please talk about X for the next 2 minutes so I can absorb your knowledge." try "What do you think are the most important concepts in your field? or "What do you think are the biggest misconceptions about your field?" etc.
Are you trying to build more self-confidence?
Are you trying to get over social anxiety? There might be more efficient/upstream ways to solve this like experimenting with supplements, beta-blockers, phenibut, etc.
Are you trying to be more persuasive? Maybe persuasion through conversation isn't your comparative advantage and you should focus on something else?
Retrospective: I found this particularly helpful