Speech Delivery: Impromptu Speaking Benefits

Video Transcript

"Now there are some positives to impromptu speaking, so, a lot of times you even mention that impromptu word and a speaker or a person will panic. Impromptu is, in my opinion, the most difficult and the success of you as an impromptu speaker depends on your public speaking skills. So, actually, as the more you do it and the more your practice your public speaking skills, the more successful you're going to be at impromptu speaking. But, impromptu speaking itself helps you practice a number of things that are really important for public speaking. First of all, eye contact. If I don't have any notes to look at, I don't have a script to read then I have no excuse, no reason not to work on my eye contact with my audience. Also, responding to feedback. I don't have any notes, I don't have any guidelines, I don't have any outline, I don't have anything, so I have to respond to feedback in the moment. You ask me the question, I think about it, I respond. Also, gesturing. You don't have any notes; you don't have anything to hold so you can practice your gesturing. You don't want to over-gesture or under-gesture. Another positive thing is organizational skills. You have to work in the moment on your organizational skills, and good public speakers are very organized, but you don't have any notes to follow so you have to logically think as you go about how I want to present this. What's the organizational pattern? Also, it's a good way to practice moving around. If I have no notes and I'm not limited to some kind of podium or any kind of restrictions, I can practice walking around. So those are some of the benefits and good things that can come out of impromptu speaking."