Impromptu Speaking: The Framework That Makes You Sound Prepared (Even When You’re Not)

The most terrifying moment of my banking career happened in a JPMorgan conference room in 2008.

I was a mid-level analyst, sitting in the back of a quarterly review meeting. The CFO had just finished presenting, and the room was quiet. Then the CEO turned, looked directly at me, and said: “You’ve been working on the European integration. What’s your view on the timeline risks?”

Every head swivelled. Twelve senior executives waiting. I had exactly zero seconds to prepare.

My mind went completely blank. I felt my face flush. Words came out—I’m not sure which ones—and I rambled for what felt like an hour but was probably forty-five excruciating seconds. When I finally stopped talking, the CEO nodded politely and moved on.

I wanted to disappear.

That evening, I made a decision: I would never be caught unprepared again. Not by having all the answers—that’s impossible. But by having a framework that would let me respond coherently even when ambushed.

Over the next two decades, I’ve refined those frameworks through thousands of high-stakes moments—board meetings, investor calls, media interviews, client presentations. I’ve taught them to over 5,000 executives who face the same terror I felt that day.

The truth is, confident impromptu speaking has nothing to do with being quick-witted. It’s about structure. And structure can be learned.

Why Smart People Freeze When Put on the Spot

Here’s what’s actually happening when your mind goes blank:

Your brain is trying to solve two problems simultaneously: what to say and how to organise it. That’s an enormous cognitive load. Under pressure, with adrenaline flooding your system, it’s often too much.

The result? Your working memory overloads. Thoughts collide. You either freeze completely or start talking without direction—rambling, circling, losing your thread.

This happens to intelligent people precisely because they have so much to say. A simpler mind might blurt out the first thing that comes up. A sophisticated mind sees multiple angles, competing priorities, nuances to acknowledge. Without structure to channel that complexity, it becomes paralysis.

The solution isn’t to think faster. It’s to remove one of those cognitive tasks entirely.

When you have a framework memorised, you don’t need to figure out how to organise your response. That’s handled. Your entire brain can focus on what to say. The framework becomes a container that your content flows into automatically.

This is why the people who seem naturally eloquent often aren’t smarter or quicker than you. They’ve simply internalised structures that make organisation automatic. What looks like talent is really preparation meeting opportunity.

The PREP Framework: Your Impromptu Safety Net

PREP is the framework I teach most often because it works in almost any situation:

P – Point: State your position clearly in one sentence.
R – Reason: Explain why you hold that position.
E – Example: Give one concrete example or piece of evidence.
P – Point: Restate your position (reinforces and signals you’re done).

Here’s how it sounds in practice:

“What’s your view on the timeline risks?”

Point: “The timeline has three significant risks we need to watch.”

Reason: “Each depends on external factors we don’t fully control—regulatory approval, vendor delivery, and legacy system migration.”

Example: “Take the regulatory piece. We’re assuming a six-week review, but similar applications in Q2 took eight to ten weeks. That alone could shift our go-live by a month.”

Point: “So those three risks—regulatory, vendor, and migration—are where I’d focus our contingency planning.”

That response takes about thirty seconds. It’s structured, specific, and actionable. It sounds like you knew exactly what you were going to say—even though you built it in real-time using the framework.

The power of PREP is that it forces you to lead with your conclusion. Most people, when nervous, bury their point at the end (if they reach it at all). PREP puts it first, which is exactly how effective presentation structure works.

3 More Frameworks for Different Situations

PREP handles opinions and recommendations. But some situations call for different structures:

Past-Present-Future (Status Updates)

When someone asks “Where are we with Project X?”:

• Past: What we’ve accomplished so far
• Present: Where we are right now, including any blockers
• Future: What happens next and when

“We completed user testing last week with 94% satisfaction. Currently we’re in final QA with three bugs being fixed. We’ll be ready for soft launch by Friday.”

Problem-Cause-Solution (Troubleshooting)

When asked about issues or challenges:

• Problem: Name the issue clearly
• Cause: Explain why it’s happening
• Solution: What you recommend doing about it

“We’re seeing a 15% drop in conversion. The cause appears to be the new checkout flow—users are abandoning at the payment step. I recommend A/B testing the original flow against the new one this week.”

What-So What-Now What (Making Information Actionable)

When sharing data or findings:

• What: The fact or finding
• So What: Why it matters
• Now What: The action or decision needed

“Customer complaints increased 23% this quarter. That matters because it correlates with our highest churn segment. I think we need to prioritise the support ticket backlog before launching the new feature.”

How to Buy Thinking Time (Without Looking Evasive)

Even with frameworks, you sometimes need a few seconds to gather your thoughts. Here are techniques that buy time naturally:

Repeat the Question

“So you’re asking about the timeline risks specifically?” This confirms you understood, shows you’re taking the question seriously, and gives your brain 3-4 seconds to start organising.

Acknowledge the Importance

“That’s an important question, and I want to give you a thoughtful answer.” Not filler—genuine acknowledgment that earns you thinking time.

Take a Visible Breath

A deliberate pause reads as thoughtfulness, not uncertainty. The most authoritative speakers often pause before responding. It signals confidence, not confusion.

Bridge to Your Framework

“Let me break that down into three parts.” You’ve bought time AND signalled that a structured answer is coming. Your audience settles in to listen.

The Honesty Play

When truly caught off guard: “I haven’t thought about it from that angle before. Give me a moment.” Then pause, think, and respond. Authenticity beats stammering every time.

What you should never do: start talking before you know where you’re going. That’s how rambling happens. Better to pause for three seconds than wander for thirty.

How to Practice Impromptu Speaking Daily

Impromptu speaking improves dramatically with practice—but you don’t need to join Toastmasters or take a course. Everyday situations offer perfect training:

The Meeting Prep

Before any meeting, ask yourself: “What might I be asked about?” Pick two likely questions and mentally run through PREP responses. Even thirty seconds of preparation builds the habit.

The Elevator Conversation

When someone asks “How’s your project going?” use Past-Present-Future instead of “Fine, busy.” You’re practising structure in low-stakes situations so it’s automatic in high-stakes ones.

The Dinner Table

When asked your opinion on anything—a movie, a news story, a restaurant—use PREP. “I thought it was excellent [Point]. Here’s why [Reason]. For example [Example]. So yes, I’d recommend it [Point].”

The Daily Challenge

Pick a random topic each morning and give yourself sixty seconds to answer using a framework. Politics, sports, work issues, hypothetical questions. The topic doesn’t matter—the structure practice does.

Within a month of daily practice, frameworks become automatic. You stop thinking about the structure and start thinking entirely about content. That’s when impromptu speaking stops being terrifying and starts being powerful.

Case Study: From Freezing to Fluent

Three years ago, I worked with a senior director at a pharmaceutical company—let’s call him David—who had a specific problem: he was brilliant in prepared presentations but fell apart when executives asked unexpected questions.

“I know the answers,” he told me. “I just can’t access them under pressure. My mind goes blank, and I start rambling. By the time I find my point, I’ve lost the room.”

David’s issue was classic: he was trying to think about content AND structure simultaneously under pressure. His intelligent mind saw too many angles, and without a framework to channel them, he became overwhelmed.

We spent four weeks drilling frameworks:

• Week 1: PREP only. Every question, every conversation, every opinion—structured through PREP.
• Week 2: Added Past-Present-Future for status questions and Problem-Cause-Solution for troubleshooting.
• Week 3: Practised buying time techniques—repeating questions, bridging phrases, deliberate pauses.
• Week 4: Simulated board meetings with rapid-fire questions, forcing framework selection under pressure.

His next board meeting was the test. When the CEO asked an unexpected question about market dynamics, David paused (deliberately), repeated the question (buying time), and then delivered a PREP response that took forty-five seconds.

“Where did that come from?” his boss asked afterward. “You sounded like you’d been preparing for that question all week.”

He hadn’t. He’d simply internalised structure to the point where it was automatic. The content was always there—he just finally had a container for it.

David’s experience reinforced what I’ve seen hundreds of times: impromptu speaking isn’t a talent. It’s a skill built on frameworks. And frameworks can be learned by anyone willing to practice them deliberately.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I speak confidently when put on the spot?

Use a framework. The PREP method (Point, Reason, Example, Point) gives you instant structure. State your position, explain why, give one concrete example, then restate your position. This buys thinking time while sounding organised. The same principles apply to presentation structure.

Why do I freeze when asked to speak without preparation?

Your brain is trying to do two things at once: figure out WHAT to say and HOW to organise it. A memorised framework handles the ‘how’ automatically, freeing your brain to focus entirely on content. This is why structure is essential for presentation confidence.

How can I improve my impromptu speaking skills?

Practice frameworks until they’re automatic. Start with PREP (Point-Reason-Example-Point) for opinions, and Past-Present-Future for updates. Use everyday conversations—meeting questions, dinner table discussions, casual opinions—as practice opportunities.

What’s the best framework for impromptu speaking?

PREP works for most situations: Point (your position), Reason (why you believe it), Example (concrete evidence), Point (restate). For status updates, use Past-Present-Future. For problems, use Problem-Cause-Solution. For data, use What-So What-Now What.

How do I buy time when put on the spot?

Repeat the question back (“So you’re asking about our Q2 projections?”), take a visible breath, or use a bridging phrase (“That’s an important question. Let me address the core issue.”). These are natural, not evasive. Learn more techniques in our guide to handling difficult questions.

Can impromptu speaking skills be learned or are they innate?

Absolutely learned. The people who seem naturally eloquent have simply internalised frameworks through practice. What looks like talent is usually structure plus repetition. Anyone can develop this skill with deliberate practice.

Related Resources

Continue building your communication skills:

• Presentation Structure: 7 Frameworks That Actually Work
• Handle Difficult Questions in a Presentation
• Presentation Confidence: How to Build It
• How to Start a Presentation: 15 Powerful Opening Techniques
• Executive Presentations Guide
• How to Calm Nerves Before a Presentation
• Public Speaking Tips: 15 Techniques That Actually Work
• Presentation Voice Tips: How to Sound Confident

The Framework Advantage

Impromptu speaking isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about having structure ready before you need it.

The PREP framework alone will handle 80% of situations you’ll face. Add Past-Present-Future, Problem-Cause-Solution, and What-So What-Now What, and you’re prepared for virtually anything.

The executives who seem naturally articulate aren’t smarter than you. They’ve simply practised these frameworks until they’re automatic. Structure plus repetition equals apparent eloquence.

Start today. Use PREP in your next meeting, your next conversation, your next dinner table discussion. Within a month, you’ll stop dreading “Can you say a few words?” and start welcoming it.

Because when you have structure, you don’t need preparation. You just need to open your mouth—and let the framework do its job.

Mary Beth Hazeldine is a qualified clinical hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, and Managing Director of Winning Presentations. After 5 years terrified of presenting, she built a 24-year banking career at JPMorgan Chase, PwC, RBS, and Commerzbank. She has treated hundreds of anxiety clients and trained over 5,000 executives.

Mary Beth Hazeldine

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