Thinking on your feet

Thinking on your feet is an essential component of public speaking. It is something that you can learn how to do, by training your brain to think dynamically. You can learn how to link whole concepts to individual components. This can be done through word association, highlighting positives and negatives and through topical elaboration. In order for you to be able to think on your feet, you will need to be able to move around through different aspects of your subject and therefore you will need to know your subject well.

Impromptu Speeches

Decide on the following

• Topic
• Angle: what about the topic?
• 3 points (on which to elaborate)
• Opening: Grab the audience’s attention
• Closing: A strong, resonant ending

Openings & closings

Your opening is where you make your first impression and your closing is where you leave your lasting impression. To create a great first impression and leave an excellent lasting impression, an engaging opening and a powerful closing are essential.

Question & Answer (Q & A)

Question and answer sessions can sometimes be the most daunting part of a speech / presentation. This is where you are always required to think on your feet and you may be nervous about the curve balls that are thrown your way.

Prepare for dreaded questions. Anticipate not only what you are likely to be asked but also what you would not like to be asked (you will have your reasons). If you are prepared to answer the dreaded, awkward, difficult questions then you will not have to work out an appropriate answer on your feet but will be equipped with an answer that would work both for you and for your audience. Your answers will not be set in stone, however, they will be well considered so that you can focus on using your delivery to get the message across and not on thinking of what to say. It will be better not to learn the answer by heart but rather to have the knowledge from which to draw in the moment and answer it naturally in your own words. Sometimes however, you may need to define certain wording if it is a very delicate subject or the nuances of your answer could have significant consequences. By preparing for the dreaded questions, you will go into the Q & A session feeling more confident and equipped. You will know that you will be able to handle yourself well if any of the identified questions (or similar ones) are thrown at you. You will likely still have to face the odd curve ball however, you will have fewer of them and you will be better positioned to handle them.

Always

• Prepare for dreaded questions
• Be polite
• Pause and breathe
• Trust what you know
• Consider your tone
• Answer to the best of your ability