First, we must acknowledge what we already know—that communication in general and impromptu speaking in particular are nerve-racking. We must create a personalized anxiety management plan to help address our jitters. Second, we must reflect on our approach to communication and how we judge ourselves and others, seeing these situations as opportunities for connection and collaboration. Third, we must give ourselves permission to adopt new mindsets, take risks, and reenvision mistakes as missed takes. Fourth, we must listen deeply to what others are saying (and perhaps not saying) while also tuning in to our own internal voice and intuition. Fifth, we must leverage story structure to make our ideas more intelligible, sharper, and more compelling than they might otherwise have been. And sixth, we must focus audiences as much as possible on the essence of what we’re saying, cultivating precision, relevance, accessibility, and concision. (Location 164)
