Speaking Up With Confidence
How to stop rushing when you speak
Give your point a three-line shape so nerves can’t scatter it, and let the pauses read as calm.
Why it matters
When it matters your brain sprints and your point scatters into half-sentences at double speed. A simple shape catches it. Three lines, said one at a time.
How to do it
Say each line, then breathe. The pauses are doing half the work.
Observe
The plain fact, no judgment. "When the brief changes the morning it's due..."
Need
Exactly what you want. "I need a day's notice."
Why
One reason, then stop. "I can't do quality work without planning time."
What it sounds like
Manager
“Can you get the revised version over by end of day?”
You
“When the brief changes the morning it's due, I need a day's notice. I can't do quality work without planning time.”
Practise it
Priya Shah, teammate
“I put the sync on your 9am. I know it's your quiet block, but it was the only slot.”
Observe, need, why. One line at a time. No rushing, no softening it away.
A strong answer: “When my focus block gets booked over, I need it kept clear. That's my only deep-work window. Could we take 2pm?”
Free in your browser. Speak for 60 seconds and get feedback.
The short version
Observe, need, why. A shape that holds when your nerves want to sprint.
Practise it every day
This is one lesson from the Speaking Up With Confidence course in the Insight7 app, with a roleplay to rehearse the real conversation.