Speaking Off the Cuff · Impromptu Speaking · Perth, Western Australia
Impromptu speaking training teaches you to think on your feet and speak clearly when you haven’t had time to prepare: tough questions, unexpected requests and meetings that go off script. David Julian Price runs it in Perth and online, with simple structures you can use within seconds and plenty of live practice.
The most dangerous moment isn’t the planned presentation. It’s the question you didn’t see coming. Thinking on your feet is scary. It’s also a skill, and you can learn it.
“Speaking spontaneously means being prepared. You just prepare differently.”
Why it matters
If you feel you’re being overlooked for promotion, or your ideas don’t get the airtime they deserve at work or socially, the missing piece is often the ability to speak well at short notice. Employers look for three kinds of smarts:
When someone speaks confidently at short notice, we tend to see them as:
Cracking the code
What you say matters. But how you say it, your stance, movement and body language lining up with your words, decides whether it lands. Get the how right and the what gets heard.
Learn from someone who does it well. With hot-seat coaching you watch it done, try it yourself, and master one technique at a time, the way a golfer adjusts their swing. Small wins add up fast.
You already carry a lifetime of experiences, good, bad and indifferent. Impromptu speaking is knowing how to reach into that library quickly and pull out the right story.
The Speaking-SMARTS model
Picture this
You’re in a meeting. Someone turns to you: “What do you think we should do?”
You haven’t prepared. Everyone is looking at you. With the model, you take a breath, take a position, reach for one relevant experience, give three quick reasons and finish with why it matters. Thirty seconds. Calm. Clear. Done.
Try it now
Press the button for a random question. Give yourself 60 seconds. Use the seven steps: take a position, find a story, give three points, finish with a so what. Out loud is best.
A leader’s impromptu mindset
Build the muscle
Without confidence we get stuck, and once you’re stuck, it’s hard to start. The best way to build the muscle is regular practice in front of friendly people. Coaching gets you there faster, and a speaking club such as Rostrum or Toastmasters keeps you sharp. I’ve been a Rostrum member since 1980.
Also known as: impromptu speaking, extemporaneous speaking, thinking on your feet, spontaneous speaking, unscripted speaking and speaking at short notice.
What people say
“David ran the coaching session with passion, precision and leadership. The lessons in public speaking, content and presence were insightful and valuable. I would urge anyone in business to attend one of David’s workshops.”Susan Carson · WestBas, Cashflow Crusader
“David gave us all a very clear, succinct business intro message that was awesome. And to have a framework by which to recreate different versions of that message was stellar. Love your work David.”Peter Butler · Smarter Websites
About David
David Julian Price has spent more than four decades helping people think on their feet, from executives answering tough board questions to professionals giving a 30-second introduction at a networking event. He’s been sharpening his own impromptu skills at Rostrum since 1980.
Questions
Speaking with little or no notice: answering a question in a meeting, giving a quick introduction, or being asked to say a few words. It’s also called speaking off the cuff, thinking on your feet or extemporaneous speaking.
Yes. It’s a skill, like golf or painting. With a simple structure, some coaching and regular practice, most people become noticeably more confident at short notice.
Take a breath and take a position. Reach for one relevant experience, give up to three reasons, and finish by saying why it matters. Then stop talking.
David’s seven-step model for spontaneous speaking: always be ready, suss the situation, take a position, delve into your memories, use stories and analogies, use the Rule of 3, and end with a “so what”.
Buy a moment by restating the question, then take a position. A simple structure gives your brain somewhere to go, which is why the blank moments shrink with practice.
Practise regularly in front of friendly people. Hot-seat coaching speeds it up, and speaking clubs such as Rostrum or Toastmasters give you ongoing practice.
Yes. David offers one-to-one coaching and workshops in Perth, across Australia and online, including hot-seat coaching so you see results straight away.
Ready when you’re asked
Let’s talk about the moments that catch you out, and how to own them.