People are often put on the spot made to come up with an answer immediately. I am sure you have faced this situation so many times already and you would be the first to say that it can be very daunting to give that quick retort right off the bat.
The Pressure
And who can blame them? Some topics are easy and familiar, which make it easier for people to talk about them, even with a limited time to prepare. But what if the topic is unfamiliar and you had no opportunity to refuse an answer? In such cases, the struggle becomes very real.
This can happen in any situation. From a discussion with your boss or clients to a quick chat with a friend inside the shopping mall, you will never know when exactly you are going to do it, and that's what makes it more stressful.
Since time is not on your side, the first thing you do is panic or ask for more time. Panicking can only do so little because it only allows us to lose sight of whatever needs to be done, resulting in a big mess. Some people would probably nail it, but for the rest of the population, impromptu speaking is certainly a gift.
There's Hope with PREP
Though it sounds so insurmountable, there is a way to come up with the best possible answer in the shortest amount of time possible. The key is to have the right answer and the presence of mind to make it come out in the most effective manner possible.
How is this possible?
Thankfully, there is what you call the
PREP which actually means Point, Reason, Example, and Reiterating the Point.
How does this work?
First thing's first, you must be clear with the point you want to make. To hit the nail right on the head and make in more understandable for the audience, stick to one main point. This is a good way to start because it allows you to zero in on exactly what you want to say. Having a lot of ideas in the head has been the downfall of many. When there are many ideas that need to be expressed, they ultimately compete with our attention and in the process, the answer becomes convoluted and you lose track of the point that you really want to make. As soon as you hear the question and you are certain of what you heard, come up with the point that you want to make. Once you get that in, it would be easy to discuss it effectively after. If the topic is not clear, be sure to verify in order to give the answer that is expected of you.
Point
For example, if you are asked about the importance of family to you, dig into your relationship with your family and say exactly what they mean to you. If the answer is a negative one, you can still give it a twist like family for me is what I long to have in my house. Such a statement would make the audience think because the answer would trigger them to assume the kind of family you have. And any speaker knows that this is the first step in succeeding with your impromptu speech.
Reason
Next is to reason out. When you understand the point very well, it should be easy for you to say why and how you came up with it. Sequentially speaking, this flow would make it easier for the audience to fully understand the point that you want to make. Just be sure to make the reasons relevant to your point. Start with the most important reasons and then support them with minor ones.
Like in the case about your family, you can reason out by saying that all the members of the family are in the house, but they rarely talk to each other. At this point, the idea that the members do not have a personal relationship with them is clear and all they have to do is for you to explain this reason.
Explaining
Explaining should be done in detail. This provides the answers that the audience needs and at this part of the speech, they are more than ready to take it. It is always interesting when you go a bit personal, but of course, it really depends on the topic on hand. For the more formal topics, facts may present themselves as more appropriate and effective. Gauge the audience, too. Your knowledge of the audience will go a long way in choosing the best approach or style to use for them.
Reiterate the Point
And finally, reiterate the point. This neatly ties in all the loose ends and, more importantly, it reminds the audience of the point that you wanted to make and how you delivered it remarkably. With this framework, you can easily talk about anything that comes your way without losing your composure. Listen to Jacky as he shares more insights:
More Tips for the PREP
With the
PREP framework now ingrained in your mind, there are other things you can do to improve your thriving skill. You should use the framework whenever you have the chance. Practice will allow you to hone this skill and boost your confidence.
Frame the speech with a powerful start and conclusion. If you want your audience to remember your speech, make it stick to them with ideas that answer the question and resonate well with your audience. Highlight your expertise on the subject matter by never losing eye contact and keep your head held high.
In instances when the question is not clear, repeat the question. This effectively buys you time to think and at the same time verifies your understanding of the question.
And finally, if you are aware that there is a chance that you will give an impromptu speech, make sure that you prepare for it. By doing this, you increase your belief in your capabilities and come up with a speech that makes you look like the expert you want to appear to be.
To learn more about PREP and other techniques,
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