4 Tips For Becoming An Excellent Impromptu Speaker

The first time I was called on to give an impromptu speech in front of my colleagues, I was so nervous and unprepared that I rambled incoherently for 30 seconds, then spoke as fast as I could through my key points. Later someone told me I should’ve been an auctioneer instead of a professor. Does this sound familiar to you?

While there’s much we can do to be great at delivering prepared presentations, more often than not, we will be called on to deliver speeches on the spot. From quick presentations at meetings, to being called on during an important call, to job interviews, every professional will have to give an unprepared speech at some point during his or her career, which can be a terrifying proposition. Learning how to speak on the spot can help ease the fear, and lead to better impromptu speeches.

Here are a few of my top tips to becoming a great impromptu speaker:

Practice, Practice, Practice

Challenge friends, family, and co-workers to give you open-ended questions you must answer in a 1-3 minute speech format. By doing this, you are training your brain to be able to rapidly access and organize key information. Do one speech exercise every day, even (and especially) while doing mundane tasks like washing dishes or taking a walk.

Develop a mental “template” for an impromptu speech

Even on the spot, a great speech includes a clear intro, body, and conclusion. A template you can easily access mentally for all impromptu speeches could look like this:

Intro: Give 1-3 sentences of background info about the topic you’re being asked to speak on. It is appropriate to repeat the question, if that is how the speech was prompted.

Body: Explain your point of view regarding this topic, and include at least one example/piece of    evidence of why you feel that way.

Conclusion: summarize the key points of what you just spoke about.

Read, Read, Read

Reading trains your brain to process information, and the more you do it, the better you are at it. Beyond that, reading also gives you a wealth of information to draw from when speaking on the spot. Even if it’s just 15 minutes a day, reading books, articles, blogs, essays, etc. will give you numerous examples and ideas to use in any of your speeches, including impromptu.

Use the Pause

During any speech, taking the time to pause, breathe, and gather your thoughts will lead to greater audience understanding and connection. The impromptu speech is no different.

The benefits of pausing include:

Making a key point– the audience will have time to process and think about what you said.

Losing your train of thought– the pause will give you time to gather your thoughts and begin again without nervous rambling.

Managing nerves– the pause helps you to breathe deeply, which signals to your brain that you are in a safe place, and thus calms you down.

You can read more all about why pauses are so excellent right here.

Bonus: Do as many Table Topics as possible

This is another way to maximize your Toastmasters membership. Most clubs have a portion of every meeting devoted to members having to give 1-2 minute speeches on the fly about any number of topics. It's terrifying and exhilarating! I see lots of members avoid Table Topics like they're flu shots or something, but doing them over and over again makes you a better speaker all around, especially when you're having to speak on the fly.

The possibility of having to speak on the spot can be overwhelming and fear-inducing, but it can also be a great opportunity to strengthen our public speaking skills! By incorporating these simple techniques into our routines, we can master the art of impromptu speaking.

Related: How to tell a darn good story, 6 tips for immediately improving your writing skills