HBR On Leadership How to Speak with Confidence When You’re Put on the Spot
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Jan 14, 2026 
In this engaging discussion, Matt Abrahams, a lecturer at Stanford and host of Think Fast, Talk Smart, shares his expertise on impromptu speaking. He emphasizes the importance of spontaneous communication for leaders, offering tips on managing anxiety and crafting compelling messages on the fly. Matt introduces the 'What, So What, Now What' structure for structuring responses and suggests strategies for sounding natural and memorable. His insights include using pauses and nonverbal cues to enhance delivery while embracing imperfection to connect better with audiences.
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Spontaneous Speaking Requires Agility
- Spontaneous speaking demands agility and present-oriented listening rather than scripted delivery.
- Matt Abrahams compares it to athletics: you must adjust the play in real time, not run a rehearsed script.
Breathe To Buy Calm Seconds
- Use deep belly breaths and make the exhale twice as long as the inhale to reduce physiological anxiety.
- Before unmuting or entering a room, take one or two of these breaths to calm your nervous system.
Practice For The Unplanned
- Prepare for impromptu moments by practicing likely questions and answers, including with others or AI.
- Treat drills like athletic practice so you can be agile rather than memorize responses.
