You've been caught off guard in a team meeting. How do you handle speaking on an unexpected topic?

First you need to deal with the emotional response to be able to think clearly. depending on your personality you can: Acknowledge and Reframe: Acknowledge to yourself that it’s okay to feel caught off guard. Reframe this by using one of the speech structure you know best (PREP, SCR, Socratic Dialog...) Accept vulnerability: Allow yourself to say that you might not know of the top of your head and you might need to come back later with more in-depth thoughts. Controlled Breathing: Practice controlled breathing techniques like the 4-7-8 method (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds). This can calm your nervous system and help you regain composure.

Start with relying on your emotional intelligence. Then ask a question from participants to get their view or opinion. In the meanwhile, prepare what you will eventually say.

A good *trick* is to ask for definitions or clarifications. "I hear your question, but in which sense do you use the word X?" This help you buy time to think and at the same time allow for the person who asked to solve their question (often when explaining our question, we suddenly realise we know the solution already).

Echar mano de tu experiencia de la manera genérica, orientando el comentario de una forma positiva, breve, preciso. Sumar, aportar algo no considerado.

Own it! You were chosen to speak on this particular topic because someone in that room thought you would be the best fit to discuss it. Step confidently in your zone of genius and execute. Sometimes the most relatable, engaging, speaking topics are ones that are unrehearsed.

Don't play games I don't think it's a show of strength to invent an answer or react quickly (especially if it's a trap). Better to listen, ask questions to understand, and promise an answer within a reasonable time. In the meantime, we will have the opportunity to delve into the reason for the question we were asked.

Being honest is the key point. Enough said. When caught off guard by a topic we're unfamiliar with, the best approach is to simply say, "I'm sorry, but I need more information on this topic to actively participate in this discussion." Many people fear being judged with thoughts like "He's so clueless" or "She should know this already!" However, it's important to remember that no one knows everything, and in a healthy work environment, there should be little to no judgment. It's perfectly fine to say, "I need to learn this first."

Use one of the speech structures or frameowrk you know best (PREP, SCR, Socratic Dialog...) so you don't have to think about structure on top of the content. Pay particular attention to how you start to answer. Often it is best to wait for a few seconds saying you have to structure your thoughts.

Often different topics resonate with different audiences and finding a connection is important to make an impact, by engaging the audience we may become more attuned to their perspective and while acknowledging that, we can then go from the known to the unknown and where possible finish up with a personal experience which brings our humanity to bear on the discuss.

Engage your audience through story telling and relatable events that relate back to the topic. Consider ask and answer questions throughout the speech, also a one word chant to make sure the audience is paying attention. At the end of your speech, consider asking the audience for key takeaways. This will give you a gauge of your met your target or goal.

Stay Calm and Composed. Quickly summarize the topic or question to ensure you understand it correctly. This also buys you a few seconds to formulate a response. If it’s really outside your expertise, acknowledge that gracefully. Then, try to connect it to something related that you do know about, bridging the gap between the unexpected topic and your knowledge base. Remember, it’s okay not to have all the answers instantly. Embrace the challenge as an opportunity to grow and contribute in new ways!

Having response frameworks in your toolbox can be very helpful. A framework helps you organize your thoughts, makes your response easier for the audience to follow, and prevents you from rambling. Here is one that I like: it is called PREP. P = Point R = Reason E = Example P = Point You begin your response by stating your main point. Then, you outline why you think the point has merit and provide a supporting example or anecdote. Finally, you conclude the response by restating your main point.