Your Guide To Creating Structure On The Fly.
Your only job is to make it understandable.
You don’t need a ‘script’ to be a compelling speaker.
What’s more useful is knowing where you’re going and then saying it in a compelling way.
This helps others remember and resonate with your message.
So how do you do that when you’re put on the spot?
You need a structure.
Your quick guide to speaking on the spot.
Speaking on the spot can be as simple as:
Facts + opinion/recommendation = your answer.
This boundaries your nerves, and forces you to keep it short.
But what about when someone wants a comprehensive answer?
If you worry about speaking on the spot it’s usually because…
You worry you don’t know enough.
You worry you’ll say the ‘wrong’ thing.
You worry you’ll get judged when your adrenaline shows up.
Do any of these relate to you?
Firstly, know you’ll never get asked about …
Things you have zero knowledge in.
What’s more likely is you’ll get asked for things you already know about.
But you worry you’re not an expert right?
Here’s the thing: you’re right.
You’re not the expert.
No one can be. We’re learning new things all the time about science, technology, psychology and biology. It’s not possible to know it ‘all’.
What’s more likely is you are an authority.
You’re an authority on what you know, in your context. You’re an expert in your lived experience.
Sure, your boss might know more about the topic you both work on. Your client might know more about the industry you’re working in.
What you’re an authority on is how you see things, knowing as much as you do today.
I mean, do you really need to be the world's leading expert to give an update on a project?
No. It just needs to make sense.
A reverse brief can help you do that.
What’s a reverse brief?
A reverse brief is when you ‘interview’ your colleague until you know what they want.
It makes their ask smaller, by being specific about what they want to know more on.
This gives you a structure by knowing what specifically they want info on.
What does a reverse brief look like?
A reverse brief is you asking a question to get clarity on what specifically they want to know.
You ask questions until you can figure out the gist of what they want.
It also buys you time as you figure out what to say.
Instead of responding immediately, take your time to figure out what specifically they want to know.
This gives you a chance to put structure to your answer.
Getting ready for your reverse brief moment.
Try clarifying what you need to feel confident.
That way, you’ll know what questions to ask for your reverse brief.
Here are three you can start thinking about today:
What do I need to know before I can give someone an informed answer?
What are the ‘limits’ of what I can talk about with confidence?
What won’t I add value on?
Thought starters:
‘All I need to know is the audience, then I can speak on it.’
‘I just need the deadline and budget.’
‘If I have the context, I can give a general overview.’
What could your version look like?
If you need more info, ask for it.
If it’s not your area of expertise, say so.
Get specific to add value. Vague questions keep you stuck.
‘Sure, but my boss just said give me a general overview.’
In this case, you need signposting.
Signposting is telling someone ahead of time what you’re going to tell them.
It gives you a structure before you use your words.
How does signposting work?
Before you say your answer, tell your audience what you’re going to answer.
It forces you to decide what question you’re going to answer, in what order.
Your brain can’t help but want to fill in the gaps.
Here’s an example.
Let’s say you’re asked to give your ‘general thoughts’ on how a piece of work is going.
Immediately, give a status update: e.g. on track or not.
Then, go into detail.
Here’s an example of what that could look like.
‘Overall good. I can give you details of how it’s going from week to week, or a general overview of how audiences have responded - which would be more useful?’
They say ‘a general overview’.
You could then respond with signposting.
Telling them (and your brain) what specifically I’m going to talk about before you talk about it.
Here’s what that could sound like:
‘How have audiences responded, what has the qualitative data told us, and what assumptions can we make as a result, got it. Just writing that down. Ok, let’s start with the first point: how have audiences responded?’
If you forget what you were going to say, you can do this.
Go back to the list you promised to answer earlier. For example:
‘Enthusiasm got the better of me, so I’m going back to our list to see what else I was going to cover. Right. How have audiences responded? Well…’
What might your version of this look like?
‘How do you know when to stop talking?’
You keep talking because you don’t know how to end your answer.
Stop talking by asking a question. Hand the mic.
For example:
‘I’ll pause there to see what’s landing. What questions do you have?’
‘What do you think so far?’
‘Does that answer your question?’
Simple questions. Specific answers.
Signposting is a plan on the fly.
Even if the plan is planning as you go.
You don’t need to be perfect.
Just straightforward. Simple questions, with specific answers.
If you don’t understand, ask to clarify. If you do, clarify what specifically you will say.
“Ok sure, but what about when I have to introduce myself? I can’t signpost ‘about me’.”
You’re right. Instead, you need an elevator pitch.
Your only job, when speaking, is to make sure others can remember what you say.
A reverse brief helps you zoom into what info they really want to know.
Signposting helps you figure out what to say, in what order.
An elevator pitch gives you an easy to remember way of describing what you do.
Could any be useful to you?
Read more on presenting with confidence.
Master your adrenaline: Instead of fighting adrenaline, use it to power your presentations.
Win over challenging audiences: You won’t always have a happy, receptive audience when you present.
Pitch to a big picture thinker: Scrap the details. Start with the headline.
Answer questions on the spot: Learn a quick structure to put your adrenaline to good use.
Did you know we teach personalised workshops on presenting with confidence?
Delivered in person and online, in 90 minute, half day and full day formats.