How to Think on Your Feet
You’ve got eight seconds.
Something unexpected pops up: a last-minute client request, a surprising question from your audience, a technical glitch with your presentation files… According to author Robin Rose, you have eight seconds before what startled you activates a complete descent into fight-or-flight and a shutdown of the thinking part of your brain.
Anything unexpected will trigger your “startle” reflex—that involuntary sharp reaction to sudden stimuli. You can’t avoid it (that’s the “involuntary” part). But in order to think on your feet, you can learn how to maneuver around it.
You already do this all the time. You hear a loud noise, or misunderstand a deadline, or walk in to a bunch of people yelling “Surprise!” and what happens? Gasp! Mini heart attack! But then, during your eight-second window, you decide you’re okay. The fight-or-flight response is averted. Oxygen returns to your prefrontal cortex. You laugh and get on with your life.
Any time you’re startled, you can redirect your energy from your limbs to your brain. And unless you actually need to fight or run, generally your head is way more useful in a crisis than your feet. Here’s how to interrupt your startle response, and quickly access logic, creativity, and the calm presence of a strong leader:
1) Take Charge of Your Body
The startle response is involuntary and that includes how it affects your breathing: You hold your breath. Everyone does this when startled. You can’t help it. But you can be aware of it and start to breathe again. You cannot access the thinking part of your brain if you’re holding your breath. So start here.
Then, as you exhale, release tension and stand (or sit) up to your full height. It may not be appropriate to get in a full-on power pose, but breathing, releasing tension, and making yourself bigger send chemical signals to your brain that help take you out of fight-or-flight.
If you can, move. Getting physically unstuck will get you mentally unstuck. Move purposefully—like nodding to show you heard the question, walking over to a physical prop, calmly refilling your water glass while you think… Not fidgety, but fluid.
All these things take time—but not much. In fact, it takes way less than eight seconds!
2) Take Charge of Your Mind
Choose your interpretation. If you view what startled you as a threat—a threat to your ego, your schedule, your authority, your way of doing things, your bank account, etc.—fight-or-flight is unavoidable. That’s it. And all fight-or-flight can do is get energy to your limbs. It will NOT help you think on your feet. You don’t need your prefrontal cortex in fight-or-flight, so it goes offline.
Instead of a threat, view what startled you as what it actually is: an unexpected event that you can and will deal with. Remind yourself you’re okay. Interrupt any panicky, threatened, or furious thoughts zipping through your brain. Shut them down (that deep breath you took will help). Don’t let them distract you. Stay present—you need to be here now to take in all the relevant info, assess the situation accurately, and respond appropriately.
If you must talk to yourself, stay positive. You have more resources and experience than you give yourself credit for, including that astounding brain I keep referring to. And if you avoid the fight-or-flight downward spiral, you’ll actually be able to access all those useful resources!
Your brain is your brain. You get to decide what goes on in there. Avoid thought patterns that promote anger and anxiety; choose thoughts that keep you focused and functioning.
3) Keep it Simple
In the heat of the moment, avoid complicated answers or elaborate plans. When you’re caught off guard, save the details for later and stick with the basic needs of the situation.
Typically, that means you need to provide one of three things: reassurance, information, or a possible solution. Once you’ve got your brain back online after its shock, you can assess which would be most valuable. Keep in mind that often people ask for information or solutions when what they really want is reassurance.
Respond in a brief and targeted way, then check to see if it’s okay to move on. The quicker you can assess the true need and speak to it, the quicker you can move on.
Though some people seem to think on their feet more naturally than others, responding to the unexpected is a skill that anyone can learn. That means, with intention and practice, you absolutely can avoid getting flustered when things don’t go your way. As with any skill, the more experience you have the less it even feels like a skill. It becomes second nature. So, practice! Here are some suggestions:
- When little things frustrate or trouble you, manage your reaction. You will have opportunities to do this all day every day!
- Participate in meetings or events that you might have avoided in the past. For example, you might be comfortable fielding questions at an executive meeting, but not at a school PTA event. Get out of your comfort zone.
- Play games that require quick thinking (like Tapple, Slapzi, or Catch Phrase).
- Take an improv class or join Toastmasters.
- Practice timed table topics with a friend or around the dinner table.
Life isn’t scripted. Nothing ever goes exactly as expected. When something startles you, use those eight seconds to regain your composure and thwart your natural reaction. Take charge of your body, your mind, and your response. With these three steps, you can recover instantly from the mini heart attack, laugh, and get on with your life.