What to Say When You're Put on the Spot at Work: A 3-Point Trick

By Dr. Natacha  ·  3 minute read  ·  Issue #9

Before becoming a high-stakes communication coach, I worked as a medical affairs leader in corporate healthcare for 15 years.

Early in my career, I noticed something interesting.

One of my colleagues, Meghan, an HR leader with an MBA from Wharton, had this remarkable ability to answer any question thrown her way without hesitating.

You could ask her absolutely anything in a leadership team meeting.

“Why is engagement down?” → “There are three problems.”

“What should we do before the next survey?” → “There are three actions we should take.”

And I remember wondering:

How the heck is this woman able to confidently respond to these questions without flinching and without any of the “um” and “ah” filler words that people often use when a question catches them completely off guard?

But it wasn’t until years later, when I got serious about improving my communication skills, that I discovered that the key to communicating clearly in any situation comes from having a structure.

We often think that structure is reserved solely for planned talks, like presentations and speeches. But this is a misconception shared by those who struggle with impromptu speaking.

In fact, you can and should prepare for unexpected spontaneous speaking moments, like leadership team meetings, by practicing with structure in low-pressure situations ahead of time.

When someone puts you on the spot in a meeting, your body often reacts before your brain has a chance to respond.

But your response can be trained because what you practice before the moment you’re shoved in the spotlight shapes how you respond in the moment.

When I was 12 years old, I took Tae Kwon Do, a form of Korean martial arts that focuses on strikes, kicks, and defense.

In every single class, we practiced something called poomsae. These are prearranged sequences of structured movements, blocks, and stances, almost like a choreographed routine, but with a specific purpose.

Each sequence is designed to build automatic muscle memory, so your body knows how to react without thinking when you’re under pressure.

I want you to think of speaking structures as practice sequences, like poomsae, but instead of training your body, these structures train your brain to respond.

But they only work when you practice them ahead of time and make them part of your thought process.

Practice this simple trick that I stole from Meghan to speak confidently and clearly during unexpected speaking moments. I call it the Three Point System™, and it helps you organize your thoughts in a way that supports the way your brain works.

Before I share it with you, the science nerd in me needs to explain the science behind the Three Point System™, and it involves your working memory.

Working memory is a system your brain uses to temporarily hold and organize information while you think, speak, and solve problems. It allows you to keep information in your mind while you're using it.

Your working memory can remember three to five pieces of information at one time. When you're under pressure, like during an interview, that capacity to hold information decreases because stress makes it harder to think clearly.

In addition, information presented in groups of three is easier to remember.

So a three-part structure reduces how hard your brain has to work, helps you think clearly, and makes it easier for your listeners to understand your message.

What to say when you’re put on the spot at work

When you’re put on the spot at work, use the Three Point System™ and say, “I have three thoughts about that.” Then share each thought one at a time. Keep each point clear and brief and end with a short summary that brings together all three points.

Imagine being in a leadership team meeting and all of a sudden, the head of your department looks at you and asks, “What are we doing to address the delay?”

Respond by pausing for 2 to 3 seconds. Then, using the Three Point System™, say:

"I have three thoughts about that.”

This simple statement shows your listeners that you're clear on what you want to say, it demonstrates leadership, and it helps your listeners stay focused on your message.

The beauty of the Three Point System™ is that all you have to do is focus on the first point and, as you speak, your brain will prepare the second and the third points in the background.

Steal this simple trick and practice using the Three Point System™ in every single conversation.

It’s simple, and you can start using it today. Next time your partner or your friend asks you a question, pause for 2 to 3 seconds, then use the Three Point System™ as your blueprint:

“I have three points to share…”

“There are three parts to this…”

“Here are three risks that come to mind…”

Practice using speaking structures in low-stakes moments and your brain will know how to respond when you’re put on the spot.

Want more structures like this one? I’m creating a guide called What to Say When You’re Put on the Spot™. More on that soon.

Until next time.

Dr. Natacha

Sources

Cowan N. The Magical Mystery Four: How is Working Memory Capacity Limited, and Why? Current Directions in Psychological Science. 2010;19(1):51-57. doi:10.1177/0963721409359277. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2864034/

Shields GS, Sazma MA, Yonelinas AP. The effects of acute stress on core executive functions: A meta-analysis and comparison with cortisol. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2016;68:651-668. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.06.038. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5003767/