October 16, 2025 • 10 mins
What would you do if you were asked to give a speech on the spot—with zero time to prepare? That’s the question we’re tackling in today’s episode, and if you’ve ever felt your heart drop when called on unexpectedly, this one’s for you.
Welcome back to Speaking with Confidence—I’m Tim Newman, a recovering college professor turned communication coach. Today, we’re diving into the “emergency kit” that pros use when they have to speak without warning. If you’ve ever found yourself in a meeting, tasked to cover for a colleague who didn’t show up, or asked for a project update out of the blue, you know the stress of thinking on your feet. While nothing replaces thoughtful preparation, everyone needs a go-to strategy for those moments when life throws curveballs.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- How to use the PREP method for instant structure
- The power and practicality of the Rule of Three
- The “ten second trick” for gaining time and composure
- Why stories and examples beat theories every time
- Real-life scripts for handling pressure in meetings and presentations
- How to combine these techniques for a clear, confident 5-minute presentation—even when you’re put on the spot
Thanks for tuning in to Speaking with Confidence. Until next time—keep practicing, keep growing, and keep letting your voice be heard.
Want to be a guest on Speaking With Confidence? Send Tim Newman a message on PodMatch
Speaking With Confidence
Formula for Public Speaking
Facebook
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tim Newman (00:08):
Welcome back to Speaking with Confidence, a
podcast that helps you build thesoft skills that lead to real
results.
Communication, storytelling,public speaking, and showing up
with confidence in everyconversation that counts.
I'm Tim Newman, a recoveringcollege professor turn
communication coach, and I'mthrilled to guide you on your
journey to becoming a powerfulcommunicator.
What would you do if you had togive a speech and you did not
(00:31):
do the prep work that we'vealways been talking about?
What if you are at a meetingand your boss wants you to cover
for a team member who didn'tshow up?
What would you do?
And no, you can't go out thewindow and crawl down the fire
escape.
Today I'm going to give youthree tools you can use to give
a decent five-minutepresentation that has a clear
(00:51):
structure when you're underpressure.
This does not give you thepermission to slack off and not
prepare for other presentations.
This is for emergency use only.
The three tools are PrEP, therule of three, and clarifying
questions.
PrEP gives each point a simpleflow.
The rule of three keeps yourcontent focused and memorable,
(01:14):
and clarifying questions buy youthe seconds you need to think
or adjust.
These aren't abstract ideas.
They're the same faston-the-job techniques trainers
use with executives and teamswho face last-minute speaking
requests.
In the next few minutes, I'llshow you how to use them, which
starts by tackling the hardestpart, where to begin.
(01:35):
And what if you had a singleword that instantly gave shape
to any answer?
That four-letter word is PrEP,a mental shortcut that keeps you
clear, structured, andconfident, no matter the topic.
Instead of panicking orstalling, PrEP provides a simple
path you can follow in seconds.
(01:56):
And here's how it works.
PrEP stands for point, reason,example, and point.
Say it once to frame your idea.
Explain why it matters.
Give a quick story orstatistic, then restate it to
land with clarity.
These four steps create abuilt-in rhythm that's easy to
(02:17):
recall when your mind goesblank.
Think of it as scaffolding foryour thoughts.
You don't need to invent thestructure, it's already there.
And because it's repeatable,you can apply it again and again
without losing flow.
So let's break it down.
Your point is the core idea youwant people to remember.
(02:37):
A simple, direct takeaway.
Your reason supports it withlogic, showing why the claim
makes sense and why peopleshould care.
Your example makes the abstractreal, which is where PrEP comes
alive.
Always reach for somethingconcrete.
A 10-20 second personalanecdote, a quick client story,
(02:57):
or a concise business example.
As we've talked about numeroustimes, people remember stories
far more than theories.
And finally, you close byrepeating your point,
reinforcing the takeaway so noone leaves guessing.
Here's a quick illustration.
Imagine you're asked in ameeting.
Can you give a quick update onthe project?
(03:19):
You could use prep.
Point.
The project is on track.
Reason?
We hit last week's milestonesand have resources in place for
the next phase.
Example.
Right now we're completing usertesting.
Next comes rollout, with themain risk being adoption speed.
Point again.
So overall, the project isprogressing smoothly with one
(03:42):
key dependency ahead.
That response is under aminute, but it sounds
structured, confident, anduseful.
Prep takes you from frozen tofocused.
It reduces the mental load,giving your brain a framework to
lean on so you're notscrambling for where to start or
how to wrap up.
But structure alone isn'tenough.
(04:03):
The real challenge comes whenyou have more than one idea to
deliver, and that's where thenext tool makes all the
difference.
So how do you make sure yourmessage actually stays with
people?
The answer is surprisinglysimple, three points.
The rule of three is one of themost reliable ways to make a
message not just clear in themoment, but memorable
(04:23):
afterwards.
Public speaking coaches use itbecause it aligns with how
people best absorb short, spokenmessages.
Three items are easy to track,easy to recall, and carry a
sense of completeness.
When you combine the rule ofthree with PrEP, each response
gains both shape and weight.
Instead of feeling pressure tobrainstorm endless reasons or
(04:46):
examples, you cut yourself offat three.
That limit adds focus andprevents rambling.
Imagine your point is remotework improves productivity.
Your three reasons could besaved commute time, fewer
interruptions, and flexibleschedules.
Then pair each reason with oneshort concrete example.
(05:08):
For saved commute time, imaginereclaiming 10 hours a week,
that's time you can devote topersonal work or personal
priorities.
For fewer interruptions,working from home means
uninterrupted blocks of time forimportant tasks.
And for flexibility, parentscan align work schedules with
children's schedules, reducingstress while staying productive.
(05:30):
Each reason and example pairhas enough weight to stand on
its own, and together they builda balanced argument.
The same approach works inpractical settings like project
updates.
Communication coach BenjaminBall suggests breaking updates
into three parts.
Where the project stands, whatthe immediate next steps are,
and what the main risk orchallenge looks like.
(05:52):
Deliver each piece in under aminute, and in five minutes
you're given an executive readyupdate that people can easily
follow and remember.
No clutter, no overthinking,just three points that cover
everything that matters.
The effectiveness of thispattern is reinforced by how
commonly it shows up.
Sales pitches often promisethree benefits.
(06:14):
Political speeches highlightthree policies, and stories
around the world follow athree-act shape.
Audiences trust the pattern.
When you apply it, you giveyourself both a structure and
impact.
Still, even with prep and therule of three on your side,
there are moments when pressurebuilds and your mind races.
That's when another skillbecomes just as valuable.
(06:36):
One that creates the extra roomyou need to think before
speaking.
The easiest way to createmental breathing room when
you're on the spot is what'scalled the 10-second trick.
Just ask a clarifying question.
It sounds simple, but it canturn a rushed, panicked moment
into a calm and deliberateresponse.
Most people, when surprised,either fill the space with um or
(06:58):
uh or jump straight into ananswer that feels scattered.
A simple clarifying questionflips the script.
You look thoughtful instead offlustered.
And the key is to haveready-to-use lines you can lean
on.
Examples coaches recommendinclude, could you clarify what
specifically you want me toaddress?
Or could you provide a bit morecontext on that?
(07:22):
These questions achieve threethings at once.
They buy you about 10 secondsto breathe and gather your
thoughts, and they show thatyou're actively listening and
they help surface what youraudience actually cares about so
you can zero in on it.
Pair that question with a shortdelivery ritual.
Take one breath beforespeaking.
Rephrase or repeat the questionout loud, then ask your
(07:45):
clarifying question.
That pause lengthens the mentalspace you've created and sets
you up to slot directly intoprep or the rule of three once
you start answering.
For example, if someone asksabout future opportunities in
your project, you can repeatback, future opportunities, do
you mean growth opportunities ortechnical improvements?
That short echo not onlyclarifies the question, but also
(08:09):
signals composure.
Reframing works especially wellacross different settings.
In a technical context, youmight say, just to confirm, are
you asking about the timeline orthe implementation details?
In a conversational context,you might say, so you'd like me
to share the biggest challengeright now, right?
Both give you extra seconds,both show attentiveness, and
(08:31):
both steer the conversationwhere it needs to go.
One caution.
Use clarifying questionsstrategically.
Asking one at the right momentmakes you look confident and
collaborative.
Asking too many in a row makesit seem like you're stalling.
The goal is to buy focus, notto dodge.
When you practice this habit,pressure becomes easier to
(08:52):
handle, and each response feelssharper and more deliberate.
And with these tools in place,the next step is knowing how to
pull everything together whensomeone puts you on the spot.
When it's time to wrap up,remember the system that makes
speaking under pressurepossible.
Lean on the three tools, prepfor structure, the rule of three
for clarity, and one smartquestion to guide your response.
(09:15):
Coaches say confidence underpressure comes from systems, not
perfection.
Use the system to be goodenough and deliver every time.
For practice, pick a workplacequestion or a current event.
Set a five-minute timer, andrun one prep plus three-point
answer out loud.
Prep, three points, one smartquestion, and that's it.
(09:36):
But remember, this is only foremergencies.
There is no substitute forpreparation and practice.
Remember, we're looking forprogress, not perfection.
That's all for today.
Be sure to visitspeakingwithconfidence
podcast.com to get your freeebook, the top twenty-one
challenges for public speakers,and how to overcome them.
(09:58):
You can also register for theformula for public speaking
tools.
Always remember, your voice hasthe power to inform.
We'll talk to you next time.
Take care.
Welcome back to Speaking with Confidence, a
podcast that helps you build thesoft skills that lead to real
results.
Communication, storytelling,public speaking, and showing up
with confidence in everyconversation that counts.
I'm Tim Newman, a recoveringcollege professor turn
communication coach, and I'mthrilled to guide you on your
journey to becoming a powerfulcommunicator.
What would you do if you had togive a speech and you did not
(00:31):
do the prep work that we'vealways been talking about?
What if you are at a meetingand your boss wants you to cover
for a team member who didn'tshow up?
What would you do?
And no, you can't go out thewindow and crawl down the fire
escape.
Today I'm going to give youthree tools you can use to give
a decent five-minutepresentation that has a clear
(00:51):
structure when you're underpressure.
This does not give you thepermission to slack off and not
prepare for other presentations.
This is for emergency use only.
The three tools are PrEP, therule of three, and clarifying
questions.
PrEP gives each point a simpleflow.
The rule of three keeps yourcontent focused and memorable,
(01:14):
and clarifying questions buy youthe seconds you need to think
or adjust.
These aren't abstract ideas.
They're the same faston-the-job techniques trainers
use with executives and teamswho face last-minute speaking
requests.
In the next few minutes, I'llshow you how to use them, which
starts by tackling the hardestpart, where to begin.
(01:35):
And what if you had a singleword that instantly gave shape
to any answer?
That four-letter word is PrEP,a mental shortcut that keeps you
clear, structured, andconfident, no matter the topic.
Instead of panicking orstalling, PrEP provides a simple
path you can follow in seconds.
(01:56):
And here's how it works.
PrEP stands for point, reason,example, and point.
Say it once to frame your idea.
Explain why it matters.
Give a quick story orstatistic, then restate it to
land with clarity.
These four steps create abuilt-in rhythm that's easy to
(02:17):
recall when your mind goesblank.
Think of it as scaffolding foryour thoughts.
You don't need to invent thestructure, it's already there.
And because it's repeatable,you can apply it again and again
without losing flow.
So let's break it down.
Your point is the core idea youwant people to remember.
(02:37):
A simple, direct takeaway.
Your reason supports it withlogic, showing why the claim
makes sense and why peopleshould care.
Your example makes the abstractreal, which is where PrEP comes
alive.
Always reach for somethingconcrete.
A 10-20 second personalanecdote, a quick client story,
(02:57):
or a concise business example.
As we've talked about numeroustimes, people remember stories
far more than theories.
And finally, you close byrepeating your point,
reinforcing the takeaway so noone leaves guessing.
Here's a quick illustration.
Imagine you're asked in ameeting.
Can you give a quick update onthe project?
(03:19):
You could use prep.
Point.
The project is on track.
Reason?
We hit last week's milestonesand have resources in place for
the next phase.
Example.
Right now we're completing usertesting.
Next comes rollout, with themain risk being adoption speed.
Point again.
So overall, the project isprogressing smoothly with one
(03:42):
key dependency ahead.
That response is under aminute, but it sounds
structured, confident, anduseful.
Prep takes you from frozen tofocused.
It reduces the mental load,giving your brain a framework to
lean on so you're notscrambling for where to start or
how to wrap up.
But structure alone isn'tenough.
(04:03):
The real challenge comes whenyou have more than one idea to
deliver, and that's where thenext tool makes all the
difference.
So how do you make sure yourmessage actually stays with
people?
The answer is surprisinglysimple, three points.
The rule of three is one of themost reliable ways to make a
message not just clear in themoment, but memorable
(04:23):
afterwards.
Public speaking coaches use itbecause it aligns with how
people best absorb short, spokenmessages.
Three items are easy to track,easy to recall, and carry a
sense of completeness.
When you combine the rule ofthree with PrEP, each response
gains both shape and weight.
Instead of feeling pressure tobrainstorm endless reasons or
(04:46):
examples, you cut yourself offat three.
That limit adds focus andprevents rambling.
Imagine your point is remotework improves productivity.
Your three reasons could besaved commute time, fewer
interruptions, and flexibleschedules.
Then pair each reason with oneshort concrete example.
(05:08):
For saved commute time, imaginereclaiming 10 hours a week,
that's time you can devote topersonal work or personal
priorities.
For fewer interruptions,working from home means
uninterrupted blocks of time forimportant tasks.
And for flexibility, parentscan align work schedules with
children's schedules, reducingstress while staying productive.
(05:30):
Each reason and example pairhas enough weight to stand on
its own, and together they builda balanced argument.
The same approach works inpractical settings like project
updates.
Communication coach BenjaminBall suggests breaking updates
into three parts.
Where the project stands, whatthe immediate next steps are,
and what the main risk orchallenge looks like.
(05:52):
Deliver each piece in under aminute, and in five minutes
you're given an executive readyupdate that people can easily
follow and remember.
No clutter, no overthinking,just three points that cover
everything that matters.
The effectiveness of thispattern is reinforced by how
commonly it shows up.
Sales pitches often promisethree benefits.
(06:14):
Political speeches highlightthree policies, and stories
around the world follow athree-act shape.
Audiences trust the pattern.
When you apply it, you giveyourself both a structure and
impact.
Still, even with prep and therule of three on your side,
there are moments when pressurebuilds and your mind races.
That's when another skillbecomes just as valuable.
(06:36):
One that creates the extra roomyou need to think before
speaking.
The easiest way to createmental breathing room when
you're on the spot is what'scalled the 10-second trick.
Just ask a clarifying question.
It sounds simple, but it canturn a rushed, panicked moment
into a calm and deliberateresponse.
Most people, when surprised,either fill the space with um or
(06:58):
uh or jump straight into ananswer that feels scattered.
A simple clarifying questionflips the script.
You look thoughtful instead offlustered.
And the key is to haveready-to-use lines you can lean
on.
Examples coaches recommendinclude, could you clarify what
specifically you want me toaddress?
Or could you provide a bit morecontext on that?
(07:22):
These questions achieve threethings at once.
They buy you about 10 secondsto breathe and gather your
thoughts, and they show thatyou're actively listening and
they help surface what youraudience actually cares about so
you can zero in on it.
Pair that question with a shortdelivery ritual.
Take one breath beforespeaking.
Rephrase or repeat the questionout loud, then ask your
(07:45):
clarifying question.
That pause lengthens the mentalspace you've created and sets
you up to slot directly intoprep or the rule of three once
you start answering.
For example, if someone asksabout future opportunities in
your project, you can repeatback, future opportunities, do
you mean growth opportunities ortechnical improvements?
That short echo not onlyclarifies the question, but also
(08:09):
signals composure.
Reframing works especially wellacross different settings.
In a technical context, youmight say, just to confirm, are
you asking about the timeline orthe implementation details?
In a conversational context,you might say, so you'd like me
to share the biggest challengeright now, right?
Both give you extra seconds,both show attentiveness, and
(08:31):
both steer the conversationwhere it needs to go.
One caution.
Use clarifying questionsstrategically.
Asking one at the right momentmakes you look confident and
collaborative.
Asking too many in a row makesit seem like you're stalling.
The goal is to buy focus, notto dodge.
When you practice this habit,pressure becomes easier to
(08:52):
handle, and each response feelssharper and more deliberate.
And with these tools in place,the next step is knowing how to
pull everything together whensomeone puts you on the spot.
When it's time to wrap up,remember the system that makes
speaking under pressurepossible.
Lean on the three tools, prepfor structure, the rule of three
for clarity, and one smartquestion to guide your response.
(09:15):
Coaches say confidence underpressure comes from systems, not
perfection.
Use the system to be goodenough and deliver every time.
For practice, pick a workplacequestion or a current event.
Set a five-minute timer, andrun one prep plus three-point
answer out loud.
Prep, three points, one smartquestion, and that's it.
(09:36):
But remember, this is only foremergencies.
There is no substitute forpreparation and practice.
Remember, we're looking forprogress, not perfection.
That's all for today.
Be sure to visitspeakingwithconfidence
podcast.com to get your freeebook, the top twenty-one
challenges for public speakers,and how to overcome them.
(09:58):
You can also register for theformula for public speaking
tools.
Always remember, your voice hasthe power to inform.
We'll talk to you next time.
Take care.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.