Many of my clients want to sound more cool, calm, collected, and prepared when they’re called on to speak off-the-cuff or to answer an unexpected question. There are simple and concrete ways to handle this (sometimes scary) challenge — so let’s look at 3 of them, all based on “The Rule of 3.”
1. Media Interviews: Say What You Want to Say
Get your head out of the sand of powerlessness; use The Rule of 3 to set your own conversational course.
The first rule of media training (after sitting up straight and being well groomed) is to answer the question or comment on the topic that you want to discuss, not the one that’s posed to you.
This can be surprisingly difficult, even if you’re an independent thinker. That’s because every social interaction has its own built-in momentum, and it’s much easier to answer the question that was asked than to change course (on the fly, in full public view).
Still, if you want to sound confident and accomplished, you must decide what you’re going to say, and when, and how. You can’t leave that important choice in the hands of a questioner. Here is a formula for changing course in a media interview:
- Acknowledge the question or comment (“Interesting point, Jim,” “Well, I hear you, but…”)
- Transition back to your turf (“Let me expand the lens a little,” or “To understand that, you have to know the following,” or “That’s not my area of expertise, but I do know that…”). These comments politely signal that you are shifting the focus to what you want to say.
- State your point, very clearly (“Americans from every background have committed extremist acts,” or “The impact of Facebook on 10-year-olds is stronger than on 20-year-olds,” or “What counts is your relationship with an audience, not your authority over them.”)
2. For Off-the-Cuff Remarks
Don't leave impromptu remarks to chance; use The Rule of 3.
Just because you don’t have time to write, research and practice a speech doesn’t mean that you can’t make meaningful and highly professional impromptu remarks. When you’re asked to speak off-the-cuff or field an unexpected question, skip the panic stage and go straight to these three steps:
- Select a key message. A key message should tell your audience what’s in it for them if they do what you want. Repeat: A key message is not about YOU (“my research shows that…”), it’s about THEM (“my research can help you…”)
- Pick 3 strong supporting points. These can be facts, arguments, anecdotes, whatever. The trick is to pick three somewhat parallel things (“life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”) or points of view (“what happened, what is happening, what will happen”) that support the validity of your key message and that you can discuss with confidence.
- Decide what to ask for. Don’t waste this opportunity to further your business or personal goals, and to get your audience more deeply “enrolled.” Asking for something will accomplish both.
This format will work for a 1-minute response or a 5-minute discussion; and if you add an opening and a close, you’ve got a keynote speech. Magic, huh?
3. Make “3″ Your Fallback for Everything
The Rule of 3 works — and it's delicious!
The habit of speaking in groups of 3 is an easy one to cultivate, and can make all your public speaking sound more authoritative:
- Why use The Rule of 3? It’s simple, elegant, and effective.
- What am I working on lately? A business book, 6 workshops, and lots of private coaching.
- What do I love about my business? Variety, challenge, and most of all, my clients!
I could give another example (or several), but you’ve already got the point, and The Rule of 3 helps me quit while I’m ahead.
So think about it, try it out, and let me know how it goes!
