The 80/20 Rule Of Impromptu Speaking
Read Time: 1 Minute
I spent 6 years trying to speak more confidently at work, but nothing seemed to work.
- Prepared scripts
- Courses
- Coaching
- Meditation
The worst part, though, was that I couldn't speak on the spot. I became even more flustered, and my colleagues noticed. And unscripted speaking made up 99% of my communication at work.
It wasn't until I discovered the Pareto Principle when things began to click.
You can put in 20% of the effort to get 80% of the results as a speaker.
The 80/20 is what's helped me elevate into a role as the Head of Business Development for a software company and grow to 500K followers as a professional speaker. I've taught it to thousands of students. I know it works.
I strongly encourage you to watch the full video above. Time stamps for your reference:
- Emotional Gift (0:00 - 1:24):
Before speaking, get crystal clear on the primary emotion you want your audience to feel after hearing from you. This could be confidence, excitement, urgency, empathy - whatever aligns with your message.
Keeping this "emotional gift" top of mind will guide your tone, body language, pacing, and word choice to be congruent and convincing. You'll come across as authentic and attuned to your listener.
- Slow Down (1:25 - 4:20):
When asked a question, resist the urge to jump straight into your answer. Instead, take a purposeful 3-second pause. Make eye contact, nod thoughtfully, and give yourself a beat to mentally clarify your response.
During this pause, formulate your "bottom-line up front" - the one-sentence answer that captures your overarching point. This prevents you from rambling or losing focus.
You can also "play the narration game" to practice slowing your pace. Pick a random object and describe it aloud in vivid detail for 60 seconds, keeping a smooth and steady rhythm without rushing. Internalizing this tempo will help you stay composed.
- Follow A Framework (4:21 - End):
Structure is your best friend when speaking off-the-cuff. My go-to framework is P.R.E.P:
- Point: Lead with your main argument or answer to the question
- Reason: Give a concise "why" behind your point
- Example: Illustrate with a quick story, anecdote, or data point
- Point: Reinforce your main message again
Knowing you can always fall back on this 4-part flow gives you a safety net and makes your response easy for your audience to follow. You'll sound clearer and more persuasive.
Start flexing this P.R.E.P muscle in low-stakes situations like describing your weekend to a colleague or sharing your opinion on a TV show. The more you practice plugging your thoughts into the framework, the more automatic it will become.
If you found this helpful, the Impromptu Speakers Academy is my 3-week bootcamp to help you become a clear and confident speaker at work. Reserve your spot today while they're still available.
