The Red Threads Blog

Insider strategy for creators who lead.

In addition to our regular Friday newsletter, these are select posts from the Red Threads Blog.

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How to Think On Your Feet like a Leader

I’ve worked with several people over the years who are fantastic when put on the spot. Who embrace the moments when asked by senior leadership to provide updates, or guidance.

And…I’ve also worked with people who think they’re great in these situations. But in reality, the stress of not being prepared for the spotlight puts their fear in the driver seat.

So to avoid the soul-crushing, (obviously fatal) scenario of: “What if I freeze when someone puts me on the spot?” they often choose rapid responses and word-salad answers as the antidote.

This is an opportunity to grow. Because effective leaders have a common approach.

They don’t panic.
They reduce complexity.
They deliver focused, clear information.
They move the conversation forward.

And that’s a skill you can build.

What "Thinking on Your Feet" Really Means

It’s not about sounding brilliant under pressure. Or rapidly solving the problem with bolt-of-lighting genius.

It’s about knowing how to:

• Track what’s actually being asked

• Frame the problem in real time

• Pull out the 1-2 things that matter most

• Deliver a clear, confident next step

You don’t need to have all the answers.
You need to give people a solid place to stand, and to work from.

Two Ways People Shoot Themselves in the Foot

1. The Storyteller Trap
They start at the beginning.
They give the play-by-play.
They load the conversation with details no one asked for.
Leaders aren’t looking for a history lesson—they want the situation report.

2. The Emotional Opinion Trap
They lead with personal frustration or bias.
"This vendor has been a disaster…"
That’s not helpful.
Leaders need facts first. Judgment second.

Build Mental Templates and Support Beams

The best executives do the same thing in every situation:
They rinse and repeat established templates quickly.

• What’s the situation?

• What are the options?

• What’s the likely outcome?

• What’s my call?

Here’s how that plays out in real life:

1. The Partnership Update

The CEO asks:
"How’s that partnership we kicked off with the new podcast platform?"

Bad answer:
"We had a kickoff two months ago, and since then, there’s been back-and-forth about the integration timeline..."

Good answer:
"We’re slightly behind. Two key features delayed the integration, but both sides are aligned and on track to launch by end of month. No major risks right now, but we’re watching their onboarding capacity closely."

Short. Frictionless. You get them to the substance fast.

2. The Budget Tradeoff

The finance lead asks:
"Can we justify adding another editor to the content team?"

Bad answer:
"Well, the team is a little burned out, but I think they’re doing okay. Though some posts are getting delayed..."

Good answer:
"We’re publishing 30% less long-form content than planned. Adding one editor keeps us on pace for Q3 pipeline targets. If we don’t hire, we likely slip on lead generation by 15%."

Now leadership has a clear tradeoff to react to.

3. The Hiring Question

An advisor asks:
"Do we really need to hire that growth lead right now?"

Bad answer:
"I mean, the team’s been trying really hard, and we’re doing some experiments that show real promise..."

Good answer:
"The experiments are working, but we’re bottlenecked on execution. Hiring this role unlocks 3 campaigns we’re currently shelving. Without it, we’ll miss the Q4 revenue window."

Frame it around outcomes, not effort.

4. The Industry Conference Intro

A peer asks:
"Remind me again what you guys actually do?"

Bad answer:
"We’re a full-service digital consulting and strategy advisory with an integrated approach to audience systems..."

Good answer:
"We help independent creators turn their expertise into scalable businesses, without relying on ads or complicated funnels."

One line. Memorable. Easy for them to repeat.

Thinking on your feet isn’t about speed.

It’s about having structure ready when the spotlight hits.

• Take a beat.

• Frame the situation.

• Surface the 1-2 things that matter.

• Land your point.

• Stop talking.

Let the silence do its work.

That’s how leaders make complex conversations feel simple.

And that’s how you start sounding like the person others want in the room.

~ Jaime

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