You're staring at your interviewer. They just asked you a question.

And your brain? Blank.

So you start talking. Hoping the right words will magically appear. But instead of sounding smart, you're rambling. Throwing out "ands" and "you knows" and desperately trying to land on something coherent.

I've been there. And so was Helena, a social media marketer recruiting for new roles, during our recent ISA coaching call.

I asked her a simple question: "How do you stay curious in the midst of routine?"

She froze. Not because she didn't have an answer, but because she was searching for the perfect answer.

Here's what I taught her that day.

Why This Matters (And Why It's So Hard)

Look, rambling doesn't mean you're unprepared or unintelligent.

It means you're nervous. Or you care too much about getting it right. Or you're caught off guard and your brain defaults to filling the silence with words, any words.

The problem is, your audience doesn't have the same context you do. ​Career coach Marty Nemko created what he calls the Traffic Light Rule:​ people start losing attention after 30 seconds. By 60 seconds, they've mentally checked out.

Think of it like this:

• Green (0-30 seconds): They're with you, fully listening
• Yellow (30-60 seconds): Attention is fading fast
• Red (60+ seconds): You've lost them

That's why I teach my students to land their answer in roughly 1 minute. It's not about being brief for the sake of it. It's about respecting that people can only hold so much in their head at once.

And the best way to do that? A framework.

The PES Framework: Point, Explanation, Segue

PES is a three-part structure that helps you answer any question in 60 seconds.

I use this in executive meetings all the time. It works because it keeps you from getting lost in your own answer.

 

P = Point (~10 seconds)

Your main idea. One sentence. No "ands."

Use ​signposts​. Signposts are phrases that indicate where you are in the framework. They prevent you from rambling.

"I believe..." / "The biggest challenge was..." / "The most important thing is..."

Helena's example:"I believe staying curious starts with asking better questions, not just accepting things as they are."

Clear. Direct. Done.

E = Explanation (~40 seconds)

Now you elaborate with a reason or example, whatever comes to mind first.

Signposts: "The reason is..." / "For example..." / "Specifically, I can remember a time when..."

Helena's example:"For example, I was commuting to work last week and saw a tunnel under the bay. Instead of just passing by, I spent my lunch break researching how underwater tunnels are even built. Turns out, they use these massive prefabricated sections that get lowered into place. I found this documentary that walked through the whole engineering process, and it completely shifted how I think about infrastructure.

See what she did? She gave a specific story with details.

S = Segue (~10 seconds)

Wrap it up with either a takeaway or an open-ended question.

Signposts: "Now..." / "The one thing I took away is..." / "What this taught me is..." / "What are your thoughts on this?"

Helena's example:"Now when I see complex systems at work, whether it's a tunnel or a business process, I ask myself: what's the hidden engineering here?"

The One Mistake That Kills Clarity

Here's the thing: When you try to say everything at once, you lose people.

You give your point, then add "and this, and that, and also this other thing..." Before you know it, you've derailed.

One of the killer words? AND.

The fix? End your sentences. Stop at the period. Let there be a pause.

I know it feels uncomfortable. You want to fill the silence. But that pause? That's confidence.

If you struggle with this, practice the ​"Say The Period" exercise​. It trains your brain to complete thoughts instead of running them together with filler words.

 

Your Next Step

Next time you're put on the spot, in an interview, a meeting, or even a casual conversation, try this:

1. Point: Say the first thing that comes to mind (10 seconds)
2. Explanation: Give one reason or one example (60 seconds)
3. Segue: End with a takeaway or question (20 seconds)

60 seconds is tough initially. So set a timer for 90 seconds. You'll be shocked how much clarity that constraint creates.

Want to master this?

Inside the ​Impromptu Speakers Academy​, we practice frameworks like PES in live coaching calls with real-time feedback. You get reps, frameworks, and the confidence to stop rambling and start commanding the room.

Preston