Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot

Salespeople often follow a structure called Problem–Solution–Benefit when pitching their wares. First, you point to a problem or pain point that is out there in the world and that affects the audience. Next, introduce your product or service and discuss how it solves the problem. Finally, describe the larger benefits customers will gain if they buy

random. She deployed a structure that I taught her called What–So What–Now What.

The best, most robust transitions tend to review what was said and then signpost what is coming next. And they do it in the context of a larger logical flow that we’ve established at the outset.

What–So What–Now What works wonders when giving a spontaneous presentation, answering a question in a job interview, giving a piece of feedback—you name it. If you go back and review this chapter, you’ll find that I used What–So What–Now What as my organizing schema.

Structure’s third benefit—in addition to helping people engage with our communication more fully and remember it better—is that it makes processing information easier.

By sketching out a basic road map at the outset and by then executing on that plan, I made it easier for visitors not merely to stay with me but also to relax, pay attention, and absorb what I was saying. If visitors hadn’t known what to expect, a little voice in their minds might have continued to wonder about what they would later experience. Set

When others put us on the spot, we experience affective symptoms, those relating to our mood or how we feel. People under the spotlight often feel stressed, pressured, or lacking in agency. They feel vulnerable, overwhelmed, and frightened. We also experience symptoms that are behavioral or physiological in nature. We sweat. Tremble. Stutter. Our h

information. In researching this book, I spoke with Myka Carroll, editorial director of the For Dummies brand and author of New York City for Dummies.14 As she relates, the popular For Dummies franchise follows a very clear format that contains cues and guideposts for readers. The franchise’s objective is to assist readers with a process called “wa

Some Classic, All-Purpose Structures18 What–So What–Now What Discuss the topic, why it matters, the practical implications. Prep (Point, Reason, Example, Point) Make a point, give the rationale behind it, offer some illustrations, wrap up by returning to the point. Problem–Solution–Benefit Evoke an issue, offer a solution, and end by discussing the