Ideas for Impromptu Speeches

There are many ways you can conduct an impromptu speaking session. Here are a few ideas:

1. Safe questions

The easiest type of question are those you would normally hear in a conversational setting. If you have never seen or tried impromptu speaking, consider questions like:

• What is your favourite food / drink?
• What can you tell us about your place of birth?
• How did you choose your current profession?
• What did you write your thesis about?
• What is your favorite programming language?

2. Nonsense questions

Asking questions that are obviously not meant to be taken serious is a fun way to practice thinking on your feet.

• Why do you live in an orange house?
• Why do you have 52 barrels in your garden?
• If you would be a superhero, which one would it be?
• What will you do the day aliens land on earth?

3. Adding content

Speaking about unfamiliar content cranks up the question a notch. Still, don't expect the speaker to stick to the topic.

• What makes a world-class presenter?
• Do you have a role model? Who is it and why?
• You work with two other people in a project. One of them does nothing. What do you say?
• Sell us this book.

4. Three words

Give each speaker three words they must incorporate into their speech, e.g.:

fire brigade, elephant, scissors

5. Three words, with audience

When you start the session, ask the audience to write single words on tiny pieces of paper. Collect the pieces and have each speaker draw three.

Advantage: Requires very little preparation

6. Three words, interactively

Divide the audience in three groups: "persons", "colors" and "objects". Ask each group for a person, color and object. These are the three words the speaker needs to build their speech upon.

Advantage: Requires even less preparation

7. Theme

Pick questions to a common theme, for instance:

• collect a few exotic movie titles. Ask each speaker to tell what the movie is about
• weird situations in public transport
• ask each speaker to impersonate a VIP

8. Magazine

Bring a magazine. Pick one article (preferably with a big picture) for each speaker. Give them the headline right before they start to speak and ask them to tell what is in the article. (without reading it).

9. Powerpoint Karaoke

Prepare 5-7 presentations with 6-7 slides each. Use slides with one big image and no text. Configure the presentation program to switch slides automatically every 20 seconds.

When you run the session, give the speaker the title of the presentation and nothing else. They will figure out a way to comment on the slides on the fly.

Obviously, preparing 30-50 slides is a lot of work. If you know a link to slides with an open license, please let me know.

10. Story Cubes

Story Cubes are a nice gadget that helps you to generate cues randomly. The speaker rolls a couple of dice (3 or more) and tries to assemble them to a story. The dice are available in a physical version and as an app.

Because the dice are quite small, Story Cubes are a better fit for smaller groups.

11. Improvised Debate

This impromptu exercise is for two or more persons. Set a topic. One person expresses an idea, the next contradicts and so on.

12. Chain Story

Start a story. Participants take turns in adding 1-2 sentences.