How to respond with confidence when you’re put on the spot

Welcome to Quick Confidence! This weekly letter delivers a spritz of stories, tips and simple actions that will build your confidence and your power. Each quick tip bolsters confidence in your body, mind, and relationships so you can lead yourself and others to greatness.?

Do you ever freeze under pressure? Or panic when you’re called on in a meeting??

You are not alone. Most of us like to be prepared for tough questions, at least a little bit! It’s easy to get thrown off and suffer “blank brain” when you’re put on the spot, especially if you’re introverted or an internal processor.?

But let’s do a quick thought experiment: Think about someone you know who’s great at answering off-the-cuff questions. This person probably doesn’t get easily ruffled. They can most likely think quickly when they’re thrown a curveball. And their delivery is often confident. Am I right??

A lot of the credibility we associate with leaders boils down to their ability to think on their feet and to remain calm. Even when they lack preparation! But here’s a classified tip: This is not a top-secret skill. It’s learnable.

I want to walk you through how you can answer even the most difficult questions with poise and confidence. Practice this and you’ll exude leadership presence, even when you’re improvising. Here are 3 ways to speak with self-assurance when you’re put on the spot.

Quick Confidence Tips to Answer Off-The-Cuff Questions with Aplomb:

1. Embodied: First, pause and breathe. Take a good, solid inhale before you speak. This does two things: (1) it gives you a brief pause so you can gather your thoughts and get your footing, and (2) it boosts the supply of oxygen to your brain, which quiets your mind and promotes feeling calm. The less familiar you are with the nature of the question, the slower you should go in answering.
2. Interpersonal: Buy yourself more time. If you’re truly in unknown territory, you can negotiate to extend the timeline that you provide information or give an answer. Here’s the thing though – you can’t always respond this way. Buy yourself leeway no more than 15% of the time. That means for the other 85%, you give strong opinions and answers based primarily on what you do know. When you truly don’t know, you can say, "That’s a great question that deserves a thoughtful answer. I’d like to come to you after X with more information.”
3. Mindset: Organize your thoughts. One of the simplest ways to deliver a coherent answer to a hard question is to use the process of “What, So What, Now What.” That means that rather than deliver a stream-of-conscience or jumbled answer, you give a reliable, articulate one. Start with explaining the “What.” What matters? What essential facts, observations or patterns stand out? Then ask yourself, “So what? Why is that important? What’s at the heart of the matter? What are the implications? Finally, frame your response in terms of the future by asking yourself, “Now what?” What actions make sense going forward? Based on what I know, what do I recommend as next steps? You can write down these simple questions in your notebook or phone so you have an easy reference to keep you focused and centered.

If you put these practices to work and you still ramble off course, not to worry. Make sure you “stick the landing” by summarizing your main position in one sentence, stated strongly and firmly at the end.

Next time you need to dazzle people on your feet, reach for these 3 tools. Others will start to see your leadership presence. You’ll position yourself as someone who’s in control, with a thoughtful approach — and great reflexes.

What are your tips for thinking on your feet and keeping a cool head? Let me know in the comments — I love getting new ideas from you!

Confidence is not a talent — it’s a skill. If you want to keep honing your confidence skills today, take my LinkedIn Learning course . You’ll learn practical ways to build confidence so you can quiet doubtful inner voices and Make. Your. Presence. Felt. Click here to get the course . As a LinkedIn Learning author, I may be compensated if you make a purchase.