The Great Toast Theory:
Making toast should be simple - bread, heat, done. But get the timing or the toppings wrong, and suddenly it's unpalatable. Communication works the same way. We all have default settings that mean we can come across overdone, underdone, too dry, or laid on too thick. This short quiz shows you how you come across when the heat is on, and how to adjust your settings for a golden result.

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1. Even when I know the people well, I still map out what I want to say first. (Eg: writing dot points for a casual team update, sketching a script for a client call you’ve done many times, or planning a long answer in advance of a Q&A.) *

Very Often

Often

Rarely

Hardly Ever

2. If a meeting takes a turn, I can go with it and still make my point. (Eg: handling a curveball question mid-presentation, switching track when the agenda changes suddenly, or keeping calm when a colleague challenges you in front of others.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever

3. I often add extra detail or repeat myself to make sure people really understand. (Eg: giving three or four examples when one would do, re-explaining the same point in different words, or circling back to a detail after you’ve made the main point.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever

4. If the room feels flat or tense, I change how I speak to match the mood. (Eg: being jovial or funny if the room seems tired, slowing down when people look confused, or changing your tone if the conversation feels tense.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly ever

Speaking to a group feels different from one-on-one - it throws me off. (Eg: feeling fluent chatting to a colleague but stumbling in front of the whole team, losing your words in board meetings despite being confident socially, or noticing your voice or energy change on stage compared to small groups.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever

I sometimes catch myself trying to sound impressive instead of making a real connection. (Eg: slipping into jargon to sound credible, steering an answer toward your achievements instead of the question, or polishing language so much it feels less natural.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever

7. I circle my point with too many words before I finally land it. (Eg: giving all the background before your key point, wandering off into side stories, or starting strong but forgetting the punchline until much later.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever

8. Even if the conversation shifts, I’ll circle back to make sure I cover my main points. (Eg: insisting on finishing your slide deck even when questions move things elsewhere, repeating a planned phrase no matter what’s already been said, or holding back until you can insert the key message you prepared.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever

9. In formal or high-stakes settings, I feel like I’m putting on a version of myself. (Eg: adopting a more serious “work mode” voice for execs, dressing up your language in ways you wouldn’t normally, or feeling like you’re performing a role rather than showing up as yourself.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever

10. I make sure I’m clear and structured, but sometimes it costs me a bit of spark. (Eg: cutting out stories to keep things concise, sticking rigidly to agendas despite what comes up, or choosing accuracy over authenticity in the way you phrase things.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever

11. I decide how I went based on how I felt, not on how people responded. (Eg: walking away thinking “that was awful” even if people smiled and clapped, feeling great because you were comfortable even if no one asked a question, or measuring success only by nerves or confidence.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever

12. Sometimes I’m so focused on what I want to say, I miss what the other person actually needs. (Eg: powering through slides even when the audience looks lost, talking over someone’s question to finish your point, or sticking to your agenda without checking whether it’s landing.) *

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Hardly Ever