Impromptu Speaking

Without doubt the most common form of verbal communication is impromptu speaking. All of us practice this form of communication everyday as a matter of course, speaking to our neighbors over the back fence, our work mates in the coffee break or new acquaintances at a party. Then why do so many of us freeze at the thought of giving an off-the-cuff mini presentation without prior warning as to the topic?

For many it is the fear of not knowing what they are talking about and appearing foolish. For others it may well be that they feel they do not have any formalized opinions on the particular topic and still others are just basically shy. There are obviously many more reasons; however all of these fears can be overcome with basic proven techniques and practice. The result will be that you will be able to converse readily with your friends, work mates and local leaders and present a coherent and positive outline of your opinions and thoughts which may well have a meaningful impact on your community.

Firstly what are the most important abilities you need to develop in order to be a competent impromptu speaker?

1) The ability to listen. You need to hear what the topic or question is in order to give a valid response.

2) You need to pause before you respond in order to formulate the way in which you tackle the topic.

3) Create an attention getting response to grab your audience’s interest. The first words you utter may well determine if you get an effective hearing.

4) State your case using only one or at most two points to support your point of view and create interest in what you have to say.

5) Close. In other words sum up your response restating the topic, your arguments for your point of view and your conclusion. Be sure to make it persuasive.

6) Develop the ability to think on your feet. Challenge yourself to express opinions when asked. Practice giving two minute speeches on topics for which you were not prepared. Your local Toastmasters club can help here.

Sounds easy? Don’t you believe it. The only thing that makes it easier is practice, practice and more practice.

Lets review in detail each of the above in order to better understand what is required.

1) Listen: Responding to a question involves more than just a few deft verbalizations. All too often we may hear someone else’s words… but how many times do we actually listen to their content? The best speakers know how to listen, realizing that a good response is dependant on an attentive attitude. Paying attention does pay off; careful listening can provide part of your response.

Being an effective speaker goes hand in hand with sharpening your powers of concentration. So resist the impulse to interject your own ideas before the other person has finished, focus instead on what is being said. The advantages will be threefold:

Respect. People are more likely to listen to your ideas when you listen to them.

Ready-made dialogue. You’ll be able to incorporate some of what you’ve heard into your reply

On target response. Careful listening improves your chances of commenting directly on what you heard. Always make sure you speak to the topic.

2) Pause: Some years ago Coca Cola advertised its soft drink as “The Pause that Refreshes.” The same holds true when tackling an off- the- cuff speaking assignment, taking a few moments to pause before speaking will allow you to refresh your thoughts and formulate an answer.

Audiences find the well timed pause just that. No one, after all, expects you to start rattling off facts and statistics the moment you have been asked a question. Sometimes a pause can even add drama to your reply. Script writers know this and often have an actor wait a few beats before saying something especially profound or meaningful.

Your pause can simply be a few seconds of contemplation, allowing you to organize your thoughts, or you can take that time to smile, nod, or otherwise indicate that you’ve heard the question. Whatever you decide to do, though, remember that a silent pause is always preferable to using verbal place holders such as “um,” “ah” and” y’ know.”

3), 4) and 5) The Opening, Body and Conclusion: Remember an impromptu speech is still a speech and as such should have the proper construction. You need to engage the audience’s attention with an opening that grasps their attention, pricks their interest and leads smoothly onto the body of the speech. Here you need to tell the audience the substance of your proposition by providing no more than two compelling reasons why they should seriously consider your argument. As a couple of minutes is generally all the time you have to deliver your speech or grab someone’s attention make it telling but make it brief.

Many impromptu presentations fall short of the mark because the speaker did not sum up or conclude. The conclusion reaffirms the message and usually has some call to action to motivate the audience. Remember most people will recall your last words if they are dynamic enough but few remember what went before. A good conclusion that leaves them wanting more, or calls them to action is often the secret to getting your message across. Make it memorable.

6) Thinking on your feet: Many people when forced to think on their feet tend to resort to rambling. They repeat old statements. They add new points. They backtrack. On and on… One of the most logical ways to wrap up a talk is to come full circle and restate your points, but be brief. Practice is the key to thinking on your feet. The more you do it the more confident you become the more confident you become the easier it is to think on your feet. Remember being able to think on your feet is an excellent mental habit to cultivate. However like other good habits, it takes time and effort to establish. Once you understand and practice the basic concepts, you’ll find yourself more than ready to accept the challenge of impromptu speaking.