Short talks and toasts
Fit the whole structure into one to three minutes, for a toast, a quick update or an introduction.
Rule of thumb: about 130 spoken words ≈ 1 minute.
Reza's first draft: 520 words
520 ÷ 130 = 4 minutes
Target: about 2 minutes
2 × 130 = about 260 wordsReza needs to cut about half his draft.
He keeps one story (of four) and the ending.Speaking speed varies from person to person, so time yourself reading it aloud. Nerves usually make people faster, not slower.
Check yourself
Roughly how long should Reza's wedding toast be?
- About 10 seconds, just a name and a cheers
- About 1 to 3 minutes
- About 8 to 10 minutes, to do his sister justice
- As long as it takes to tell all his best stories
Show the answer
About 1 to 3 minutes
Yes. Long enough for who he is, one story and a wish; short enough that nobody's food goes cold. At about 130 words a minute, that's roughly 130 to 400 words.
Reza's toast, in four moves
- Who you are (one line)
"For those who don't know me, I'm Reza, Mina's younger brother."
- One short, specific story or quality
"When I was twelve and failed my maths exam, Mina sat with me at the kitchen table every evening for a month, and never once made me feel stupid."
- A warm wish for the future
"Arash, you're marrying the most patient person I know. I hope you both find that same kitchen-table kindness in each other, for the rest of your lives."
- Invite everyone to raise their glasses
"Please raise your glasses: to Mina and Arash." Then stop.
Check yourself
Which order gives Reza's toast its shape?
- A wish for the couple → raise glasses → who he is → a story about his sister
- A story about his sister → raise glasses → a wish for the couple → who he is
- Who he is → a short story about his sister → a wish for the couple → raise glasses
- Raise glasses → who he is → a wish for the couple → a story about his sister
Show the answer
Who he is → a short story about his sister → a wish for the couple → raise glasses
Right. The room learns who's talking, sees his sister through one story, hears a wish, and has a clear moment to join in.
Toast rules
- Speak to the whole room, not just the couple and your friends. Grandparents and colleagues should be able to follow every line.
- No in-jokes. If only three people will get it, it isn't for a toast.
- No embarrassing stories and no exes. The goal is to make the couple glad you spoke.
- Stay clear-headed. If drinks are served, save yours until after the toast.
- Notes are fine. A small card with your four moves and the last line is better than losing your way.
Check yourself
Which line doesn't belong in Reza's toast?
- "For those who don't know me, I'm Reza, Mina's younger brother."
- "Remember the Shiraz trip, guys? Enough said." (a joke only three friends get)
- "I hope you both find that same kindness in each other."
- "Please raise your glasses: to Mina and Arash."
Show the answer
"Remember the Shiraz trip, guys? Enough said." (a joke only three friends get)
Yes. An in-joke shuts out everyone who wasn't there, which at a wedding is almost the whole room.
CAUGHT ON THE SPOT
Impromptu answers with PREP
When someone says "can you say a few words?" with no warning, use PREP: Point (your answer in one sentence), Reason (why), Example (one concrete case), Point again (repeat the answer). It takes about 30 to 60 seconds. Before you start, take one breath and pause. From the outside a pause looks thoughtful, not lost.
Sara's manager asks, unexpectedly, "So, should other teams try this meeting?" Sara: "Yes, I think so. (P) It catches duplicated work before it happens. (R) In four Mondays we caught two overlaps that would have cost us about a day each. (E) So yes, I'd recommend it. (P)"
Check yourself
Match each line of Sara's answer to its PREP step
Show the answer
- "Yes, I think other teams should try it." → Point
- "It catches duplicated work before it happens." → Reason
- "In four Mondays we caught two overlaps." → Example
- "So yes, I'd recommend it." → Point again
A 60-second work update
Buried
"So this week I spoke to the vendor, then there was the thing with the invoices, and on Wednesday I finally got the numbers, and it turns out we're about two days behind, so I'll need help from design." The point arrives at the very end, if anyone is still listening.
Bottom line up front
"We're about two days behind, and I need a designer for Thursday. Two reasons: the vendor was late, and the invoice numbers only came in Wednesday." Conclusion first, one or two supporting facts, then what you need.
Check yourself
In a quick work update, it's best to walk through the background first and save your conclusion for the end.
Show the answer
False
False. Lead with the conclusion (bottom line up front), then one or two supporting facts, then what you need. In a short update, people may tune out before a buried point arrives.
INTRODUCING YOURSELF
Name, what you do, one detail, why you're here
Round-the-table introductions are short talks too. Four beats: your name, what you do in plain words (no job-title jargon), one specific, memorable detail, and why you're here. Fifteen to thirty seconds is plenty.
"I'm Sara. I make the weekly reports that tell our team what's on fire. Last month I built one twice by accident, which is why I'm here: I'd like to stop that happening to anyone else."
Check yourself
What does PREP stand for?
- Prepare, Rehearse, Engage, Perform
- Point, Reason, Example, Point
- Problem, Result, Evidence, Plan
- Pause, Repeat, Explain, Pause
Show the answer
Point, Reason, Example, Point
Yes. Point, Reason, Example, Point again: a 30-to-60-second answer with a clear start and a clear finish.
Lesson recap
- Short is harder than long. About 130 spoken words is roughly one minute; a toast is usually best at about 1-3 minutes.
- Toast: who you are → one short, specific story → a warm wish → "To Mina and Arash".
- Speak to the whole room: no in-jokes, no embarrassing stories, no exes. A small note card is fine.
- Caught on the spot? Pause, then PREP: Point, Reason, Example, Point again, in about 30-60 seconds.
- Work updates lead with the bottom line. Introductions: name, what you do, one detail, why you're here. Always plan the last line first.