We all know that person: In a meeting or important conversation, when they get called upon to share their view or recommendation, they form such a smooth and eloquent narrative that the room is captivated and gives them support.
How do they do it? Often, we say someone who can answer on the spot, who can form a lucid response with no advance notice, has a unique ability to “think quickly on their feet.” They don’t get flustered (at least they don’t show it); their responses are clear and concise and fully responsive to what was asked.
Are they born with this ability, or can it be taught? Can you learn how to form an articulate response quickly when you’re not expecting to speak? I believe you can, and here are my tips for getting better at responding when the spotlight hits you and you’re asked to speak up in a meeting or important conversation.
1. Be Sure You Understand What’s Being Asked
Hopefully you were paying attention in the meeting or conversation and aren’t caught completely off guard. Even if you were paying attention, you may need to clarify what exactly you’re being asked to offer insight or respond appropriately.
You can ask the person to restate their question or paraphrase what you believe you’re being asked to ensure you respond correctly. Clarifying also serves to buy you a few seconds to gather your thoughts. This can be a lifesaver!
2. Go to What You Know
If you’re being asked to weigh in on the feasibility of a proposed adjustment to a plan or project, for example, you could start by highlighting the parts of the plan that are working well. You might mention that in your past experiences, similar projects also reached similar inflection points where adjustments were also considered.
Then state your insight or recommendation. In doing so, you’ve shown your credibility by providing context for your ideas, not just listing them out. Context is important when speaking on the spot.
3. Add a New Idea or Thought
Building on what you’ve shared, take the idea further. Showcase your skills, experiences and vision by offering new thinking to move the conversation forward. Thinking quickly on your feet is not just about forming a sentence, but about advancing the ideas being discussed in positive ways.
4. Before You Finish Speaking, Recap What You’ve Said
Briefly (so as not to repeat yourself entirely) highlight what you know, what you see and how you envision taking the idea or challenge further. A recap ensures others also heard you correctly, understand your intent and have the right context for the message you communicated.
5. Finally, Ask for Feedback or Questions
Your ending could be as simple as, “Anyone have any questions?” or, “Is that clear?” or something more detailed based on the subject matter. Whether someone has a question or not … or wants to contribute or build on what you’ve offered, being asked feels good. It shows openness and collaboration.
When you find yourself suddenly called upon to speak in front of others, it can feel paralyzing. It’s OK to take a short beat to get your ideas together, but the point is to respond swiftly. With these steps in mind, it should be easier to pull an articulate thought together and speak with confidence:
- Clarify
- Speak what you know
- Add to it
- Recap
- Ask for questions
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