Impromptu speaking and Q&A

Most of the speaking we do is impromptu speaking--speaking done without any preparation, on the spot. Speeches that you've rehearsed are very important, but they make up a very small portion of all the oral communication you do--less than 1% for most people! An especially tricky kind of impromptu speaking involves answering questions posed on the spot. Interviews are based on this kind of speech, and many prepared speeches include questions and answers. We've been very impressed by President Obama's well-organized impromptu comments at debates, interviews, and press conferences--they have even inspired some wry humor. And equally, we've been less charitable to politicians who have delivered less well organized remarks off the cuff.

So, how do you make sure your impromptu speaking is coherent, elegant, and engaging? How do you stay in control of your message when you're answering a question you didn't expect? How do you organize your thoughts on a subject you had never really thought about before?

1. Pause. Take five seconds to gather your thoughts.
2. During those five seconds, decide on a central message. What's the key point--only a few words--that you want your audience to take away?
3. Once you've determined your central message, make sure to structure your impromptu statements in a way that helps you to show off your central message. Make sure they have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
4. When you begin, repeat the question in your own words. Not only does this make sure that you've understood the question correctly, it buys you extra time, and it helps you to signal to your audience the focus of your answer.
5. To help the audience to grasp your message, make sure you use good structure and organization in the middle of your statement. One way to stay organized is to use the classical topic of division. "There are two major reasons to save the whales. First... And second..." "There are three key organizations opposing our efforts to save the whales: First Name, Second Name, Third Name." "There were four pivotal events in the American Revolution. First..."
6. While you're speaking, make sure you finish your sentences. Especially if you're figuring out what you think as you speak, an idea might occur to you while you're in the middle of expressing a different thought. Don't give in to the temptation to interrupt your thought! Instead, finish the first sentence. Imagine it with a period at the end. Then, begin a new sentence with the new (and probably very clever) thought that occurred to you.
7. What if that new idea is completely different? That can be perfectly fine! Show relationships between thoughts with transition words and phrases. However. Moreover. In fact. On the other hand. Therefore. Nevertheless. On a different note. Moving on to.
8. Conclude. Sometimes impromptu answers to questions begin very well, but decline and then trail off because the speaker doesn't know how to end the statement. Make your point or points, and then conclude, summarizing what you have to say and returning to your central message. "And so, that's why we need to save the whales." If it seems like you've gotten lost in the middle of your point, a strong, clear conclusion that repeats your central message will make sure that your audience gets your most crucial point.

Keep in mind these eight tips for organizing impromptu statements, and you'll be able to answer any unexpected question with grace and lucidity!