Master the art of thinking on your feet and turning unpredictability into powerful communication.
Being quick on your feet isn’t just a performance skill — it’s a communication necessity. And for Peter Sagal, longtime host of NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me, it’s a craft he’s honed over more than two decades in front of a live audience. In this expanded conversation from our Spontaneous Speaking series, Sagal shares what it really takes to communicate with presence, flexibility, and confidence when the script goes out the window.
“My job was no longer to be funny — my job was to make funny possible,” Sagal explains, reflecting on the shift from performer to facilitator. He opens up about how structure and ritual prepare him to embrace chaos, why listening matters more than cleverness, and how he defines success not by what he says, but by what others are able to say because of him. “Preparation is key,” he notes, “but being willing to let go of that preparation and follow what’s happening in the moment is really important.”
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Sagal and host Matt Abrahams discuss how to navigate speaking on the spot—whether you're managing meetings, leading teams, or handling high-stakes conversations—and offer a powerful reminder: the best spontaneous communicators don’t control the moment—they connect through it.
Episode Reference Links:
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Chapters:
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (02:36) - Making Funny Possible
- (03:45) - Ditching the Script
- (07:00) - Pre-Show Rituals
- (09:15) - How to Introduce People Well
- (12:18) - Being Funny in the Moment
- (14:12) - Staying Present On Stage
- (16:32) - Gracious Communication
- (21:01) - The Final Three Questions
- (24:37) - Conclusion
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