Schlagfertigkeit - Kommentaren, Fragen oder Provokationen selbstsicher entgegentreten

Quick-wittedness – confidently countering discriminatory comments, inappropriate questions or provocations

You’re no doubt familiar with these situations: a relative approaches you at a family gathering and asks, with a sarcastic undertone, how much longer you plan to stay at university – “At some point, you’ll be forced to leave, won’t you?” Or a recruiter presses you during a job interview as to why you didn’t do any work placements whilst studying for your bachelor’s degree – “Was it a lack of self-motivation?”

At moments like these, we feel caught off guard, attacked and often left speechless. Instead of responding with confidence, we end up justifying ourselves or later regret the missed opportunity to come up with a quick-witted retort.

This seminar will show you how to remain calm in challenging conversational situations, respond with humour and clearly state your position – without being hurtful and without belittling yourself.

Seminar content

• Quick-witted communication: You’ll learn techniques to defuse verbal attacks, set boundaries and, at the same time, come across as confident.
• Countering with humour: How to respond pointedly without damaging the relationship.
• Dealing with hate speech: We’ll explore the mechanisms of hate speech, practise counter-strategies and reflect on how to protect yourself and others.
• Role-plays and practical exercises: Realistic scenarios from everyday life, university and work will help you internalise new ways of responding.
• Theoretical input: Concise models from communication psychology and conflict research provide you with a solid foundation.

Aim of the seminar

You’ll leave the seminar with a well-stocked toolkit of phrases, strategies and mental techniques. In future, you’ll no longer be left speechless, but will respond clearly, humorously and confidently – whether in your personal life, at university or in a professional context.

Further information can be found here.