The Speaking Skill That Changed My Confidence: Learning To Think On My Feet

How a 60-second speaking exercise helped me break the story I told myself about my own voice

When Tottenham Speakers closed earlier this year, I started going through my old speaking archives.

In a box I found all my speeches, my old education manuals, feedback notes, certificates, templates and research. A decade of evidence showing the journey from someone who avoided speaking to someone who now uses their voice confidently in a range of speaking situations.

But one thing stood out: a small certificate from my very first visit to the club.

Best Table Topics Speaker.

And that moment reminded me of something:

Sometimes the smallest speaking opportunities create the biggest confidence shifts.

The moment my identity shifted

In 2015, I entered my “say yes before ready” era. I had taken voluntary redundancy and knew I needed to improve my communication skills as being afraid of speaking in public was holding me back. I started forcing myself into uncomfortable situations:

• joining panels

• hosting events

• putting myself forward for different speaking opportunities

At one of those events, I met the president of Tottenham Speakers who personally invited me to visit the club. When I went along to the very first meeting, I made a deal with myself to just observe, no speaking.

Then came Table Topics

There is part of a Toastmasters meeting called Table Topics, this is where you’re given a question or prompt completely without warning. You have to stand up, think on your feet, and speak for one to two minutes. No notes, no preparation. Just you, your brain, and whatever comes out.

When the Table Topics Master started explaining what was going to happen, it sounded terrifying. I looked down and avoided eye contact, hoping he wouldn’t notice me. Then my name was called. My heart was racing and my palms were sweaty. Despite only wanting to observe, I did it afraid, because I needed to get out of my own way.

The certificate that changed the story

And at the end of the meeting, something happened that challenged the story I had been telling myself, that public speaking wasn’t for me. I won Best Table Topics Speaker. I started to think that maybe I was someone who just hadn’t practised enough.

That first win started sparked something. I kept practising, putting myself forward and eventually started competing. One highlight was coming third at Area level in a Table Topics Contest.

Why this skill matters

A few days after that first table topics win, I had a job interview. My first in eight years, and I was nervous. But I went in with some of the tools I had heard from the table topics evaluator that night: pause before you speak, repeat the question to give your brain time, ask for clarification if needed and structure your response . I got the job, and was praised for how well I had interviewed. That was the moment I knew this wasn’t just a Toastmasters exercise, it was a life skill.

Table Topics has been described as the jazz of public speaking. It’s improvisation. You are given something unexpected and you have to create something meaningful in the moment.

That skill is useful everywhere:

• interviews

• networking conversations

• meetings

• pitching

• introducing yourself

• answering unexpected questions

The moments you’ll need it (and they’ll come)

Because life rarely gives us perfect preparation time, think about the last time someone asked you, without warning:

“Give us an update on where you’re at.”

“Tell us a bit about yourself.”

“What do you think about that?”

“Can you just say a few words?”

We all face these moments in meetings, in interviews, at events, on panels and in community spaces.

The question isn’t whether these moments will come. They will, the question is whether you’ll have a framework at hand to handle them.

What I learned: confidence needs structure

Even an improvised answer needs structure.

• A beginning – Introduce your idea.

• A middle – Develop or explain it.

• An ending – Leave people with a clear takeaway.

Confident speakers aren’t always the people who know exactly what to say. More often, they’re the people who know how to organise their thoughts and choose a framework that fits the question.

The ability to answer confidently when you’re put on the spot is one of the most underrated professional skills we can develop. At its heart, it’s not about having all the answers, it’s about learning to think clearly under pressure.

Introducing: The think on your feet toolkit

Over the years, I’ve been collecting practical ways to speak with more confidence, think on my feet and structure ideas. Some I learnt through Toastmasters, others I developed through experience of delivering workshops, podcasting, emceeing and real-life conversations.

Rather than leaving them in a box, I’m going to start sharing them. The first resource is my Think On Your Feet Starter Kit.

If you’ve ever been caught off guard by questions like:

• “Tell me about yourself.”

• “Can you give us a quick update?”

• “What do you think?”

this is for you.

This starter kit introduces a simple three-step approach to answering confidently when you’re put on the spot. Inside you’ll find:

• A practical three-step framework you can use immediately

• Real-world examples

• Practice questions to build confidence

• A 7-day practice challenge

Download the Think On Your Feet Starter Kit for £5 (about the price of a coffee).

This Starter Kit is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be unpacking more of the ideas, exercises and speaking frameworks I’ve collected over the years. When you download the Think On Your Feet Starter Kit, you’ll be invited to join the Think On Your Feet Toolkit Series.

As I finish each lesson, I’ll send it to you at no extra cost, so you can gradually build a complete toolkit for thinking on your feet one framework at a time. Register your interest.

Where to practise?

Practice makes progress, because confidence comes from reps. Find opportunities to practise thinking on your feet:

• Toastmasters clubs — attend as a guest and join in table topics

• Work meetings — volunteer to give the update instead of waiting to be asked

• Community events — say yes when someone asks you to say a few words

• Everyday conversations — treat unexpected questions as low-stakes reps

The goal is not to give a perfect answer, but to build the habit of responding confidently.