When I was 22 years old, I was a Top 5 finalist at the Miss America pageant. On national TV, I was unexpectedly asked about whether the United States ought to intervene in the Syrian conflict. Those 18 seconds made the difference between whether my legacy was going to be "Miss California is an embarrassment" or "Miss California knows her stuff." (Thankfully, the ball landed towards the latter: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/...)

Perhaps the most critical phase of competition that separates the winner from her finalists is the allrevealing Final Question And Answer category. This area can be difficult to prepare for, especially if extemporaneous public speaking is not your forte.

But the good news is that the best answers have a few simple qualities in common. They're not rocket science, and it's all 100% coachable...even selfcoachable!

If you practice with these areas in mind, you will be able to handle any question or situation thrown your way. Good luck!