What do you do if you're asked unexpected questions during a facilitation interview?

Much depends on the context, and the energy of the org and interviewer/s. At a basic level, I stay calm, take a deep breath, quietly ponder their likely reason for & fears/desires underlying the Qs, &ask them to share a little background on that Q & *listen* (their thoughts/feelings/incentives, those of the key players, how circumstances are driving behavior & desires, etc). Then, with that further info, I channel my coaching mode and 1. ask what their top 1-3 priorities are in this situation. 2. summarize what I heard,eg it sounds like you're dealing with x & y and wondering about a & b; is that correct? 3. I might describe some applicable concepts or a similar situation I encountered, &perspectives that emerged immediately &later.

Practice both, concentration and mindfulness or stress-relief techniques regularly, not just during interviews, to enhance your ability to remain calm under pressure. This could involve breathing and focusing exercises or visualization techniques. Demonstrating calmness in the face of unexpected questions can mirror how you would handle unexpected challenges during facilitation, reinforcing your competence.

Employ the "reflect and clarify" technique, as well as paraphrasing, where you repeat the question in your own words to ensure understanding. This not only showcases your active listening skills but also gives you additional time to formulate a thoughtful response, illustrating a key facilitation technique of ensuring clarity before proceeding.

Consider framing your request for clarification in a way that shows engagement and interest. For example, "To better address your question, could you specify...?" This approach maintains the flow of conversation and demonstrates your attention to detail, a crucial aspect of effective facilitation.

Prepare a diverse "story bank" of your facilitation experiences beforehand, categorizing them by themes such as conflict resolution, time management, or participant engagement. This preparation allows you to swiftly draw upon a relevant story that can effectively address the unexpected question, showcasing the breadth of your experience.

i'd actually be wary of any facilitation interview that didn't have an unexpected question or element of surprise. The skill of handling the unknown. thinking on the spot, adapting and showing flexibility are core to good facilitation. If you are just learning this it's a skill and mindset that there are lots of ways to actively develop it. If you have been facilitating for a while I daresay you'll be used to it.

Hopefully, you will elicit "unexpected" questions or comments in any facilitation that required some creative output. As a facilitator, you don't have a fixed agenda that could be derailed by an unusual contribution. If you think the question might be "off-topic", or irrelevant, you can ask the group if it is something they would like to explore further. A secondary question is whether you discuss it right now or schedule it for later (parking-lot). Either way, you listen to it, entertain it, record it and follow-up to the meet the goals of the group in the session.

Create and share a principle you adhere to when faced with unforeseen situations, such as "embracing curiosity to explore new possibilities" or "leveraging collective wisdom for innovative solutions." I tend to use one from my time in the US Marines, "improvise, adapt and overcome", remebering aslo when during inspection asked a question I didn′t know the answer, I just replied that I didn′t know, but surely would find out.. This not only answers the question but also highlights your strategic approach to facilitation, portraying flexibility as a deliberate part of your methodology.