In my one-on-one coaching, we often start with prepared presentations. But very quickly, many clients tell me that their biggest struggle is not formal speaking. It is the everyday, unscripted speaking that catches them out.
Speaking up in meetings.
Answering questions.
Being put on the spot to say something sensible.
This kind of speaking feels harder because there is no safety net. No notes. No slides. No time to rehearse. And yet, it is the kind of speaking most of us do every day.
What people are really judging in off-the-cuff moments
A good example came from my adult son after a job interview.
He was asked to describe a time he had to think “outside the box” in an everyday situation. He asked for a minute to think. Then he gave a work-related example that was not especially radical and was only partly his idea. He acknowledged that it was mostly his boss’s suggestion.
Afterwards, he worried that his answer was not good enough.
He got the job.
My guess is that the interviewer was not judging the brilliance of the example. They were watching how he handled the pressure. He did not panic. He bought himself time. He came up with a coherent answer, even if it was not dazzling.
Asking for a moment to think was a smart move. It showed composure. And in many situations, that matters more than the content.
Impromptu speaking is a skill, not a personality trait
Toastmasters clubs train impromptu speaking through an exercise called Table Topics. Members are given a random question and asked to speak for one to two minutes.
The Toastmasters International website describes Table Topics as a way to help people organise their thoughts quickly and respond to an impromptu question or topic.
The questions might sound simple or strange.
Who was your first childhood friend?
Tell us about a memorable dining experience.
Should we ban plastic water bottles?
The task is not to be clever. It is to say something coherent, out loud, with no preparation.
Why structure matters when you have no time
One of the most useful ideas I draw on in my coaching comes from Matt Abrahams, author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter and host of the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast.
He talks about the value of having a few reliable structures you can fall back on when you are put on the spot.
For example:
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What, so what, now what (what do you want to say, why is it important, what needs to happen next)
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PREP: point, reason, example, point
These structures reduce cognitive load. Instead of panicking about what to say next, you move through a familiar pattern.
This is why impromptu speaking is not actually spontaneous. It is built on preparation and practice.
Allow yourself to be boring
Another point Matt Abrahams makes is about the pressure we put on ourselves to sound smart.
Many people freeze because they think they need to produce something impressive, insightful, or original.
In improv theatre, there is a rule that helps relieve this pressure. Allow yourself to be the most boring person in the room. State the obvious.
This sounds counterintuitive, but it works. When you stop trying to be clever, words come more easily. You speak more naturally. And you often sound clearer and more confident.
A simple storytelling strategy for impromptu speaking
When you are put on the spot, one of the easiest ways to organise your thoughts is to tell a short story.
Storytelling works because it gives you a natural structure. There is a beginning, a middle, and an end. You do not have to invent an argument or sound clever. You simply describe what happened.
If you are asked to describe a challenge, do not explain the issue in abstract terms. Talk about a moment. A meeting that went badly. A conversation that surprised you. A small decision that had a bigger impact than you expected.
Stories buy you time. They calm your nerves. And they give your listener something concrete to follow. Most importantly, they help you keep speaking when your brain would otherwise go blank.
Matt Abrahams makes another helpful point here. Prioritise connection over perfection. Storytelling is a powerful way to do this because it shifts the focus away from performance and towards shared understanding.
When in doubt, pick a moment and tell us what happened. That is usually more than enough.
My own relationship with impromptu speaking
Impromptu speaking is not my greatest strength.
Even after years in Toastmasters, I would describe my impromptu speaking performance as adequate. Occasionally, I have a great answer. Most of the time, my responses are average.
The difference is that I no longer feel terrified. I can always find something to say. And if an answer does not land well, I do not dwell on it. There is always another opportunity.
That confidence transfers directly to work situations. If I can handle odd and unexpected questions, I trust myself more when the questions actually matter.
Practising in everyday life
You do not need perfect conditions to practise impromptu speaking.
Treat everyday interactions as opportunities to be clearer and more concise. One Toastmaster colleague told me he even practises this when ordering takeaway. Fewer ums. Shorter sentences. Clear intent.
It also helps to prepare for the predictable.
I used to wing job interviews. Sometimes it worked. Often it did not. Then I realised that most interview questions are variations on a small number of themes. Why this job. Why you. Tell us about a challenge. Tell us about conflict.
Even if the wording changes, it is far easier to adapt a prepared answer than invent something on the spot. The same applies to elevator pitches for business owners.
Practice makes “spontaneous” possible
Impromptu speaking is often described as spontaneous. In reality, it is one of the most practised forms of speaking there is.
This is why I run 30-day spontaneous speaking challenges.
Each day, participants receive a simple question and a suggested structure, such as what, so what, now what, or PREP. The task is to speak for just two minutes. No notes. No polishing. No pressure to be clever.
Two minutes a day is enough to build fluency, confidence, and trust in your ability to start speaking and keep going.
The challenge is completely free and deliberately low-key. People often tell me that by the end of the 30 days, speaking up feels less risky. They stop waiting for the perfect thought and start saying something, which is usually more than enough.
If you would like to be part of the next 30-day spontaneous speaking challenge, please get in touch.
Mark Twain once said, “It usually takes me three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”
Thinking on your feet is not a gift reserved for a lucky few. It is a skill that improves with practice, especially the kind of practice that feels manageable and safe.
