How to not look dumb during meeting

How to not look dumb during meetingHow to not look dumb during meetingWhen your manager calls on you out of nowhere in a meeting- but you dont know whats going on- you probably want to sink into the floor. Heres how to handle a moment like this.Do your homeworkBill McGowan, an author, journalist and founder and CEO of Clarity Media Group, tellsInc. about why this is important.You should never go into a meeting without planning what your response would be if the boss wheeled around, pointed at you and said Whats your point of view on this? he says. Theres no excuse for being at a loss. You should always be prepared to articulate what your point of view is.Dont get tricked into saying something worthlessPaul Axtell, a speaker, author and corporate trainer, writes inthe Harvard Business Review that when you get called on out of the blue in a meeting you should decline if you have nothing to add of value, after writing about his cinematic inspiration behind the general topic and more.I f youre called on and you truly feel you dont have something helpful to contribute, its ok to pass, as long as you say it meaningfully. Skip the simple Im fine, which can easily be misinterpreted as lack of interest or preparation. Instead give some context and say something like Thanks for asking. My thinking has already been expressed by others. or Thanks for checking in with me. My group can live with what weve agreed upon, he writes.Just be sure to say the right thing.Talk about what you knowAdrean Turner, a Master Coach with The Muse, who is also a certified career coach, professional development trainer, speaker and business consultant and owner of Turner Coaching Training and Consulting, Llc, tells The Muse about how to do this when you have to verbally respond to something out of the blue at work.People usually talk about the things that are of interest to them (professionally or personally), or information most relevant to the organization. Use your knowledge to generate qu estions that demonstrate your involvement in the conversation. Engaging others by asking questions puts them in a position to share more information, and it takes the stress and pressure off of you, she says. For example, if one of your managers or leaders discusses the company supervision program, ask her about her best or worst mentoring experiences. You can relay your enthusiasm or interest by restating highlights of what she shared.Twitter has spokenLast month, a tweet from comedian Adam Hess about what to say in meetingswent viral on Twitter.It garnered a bunch of different responses from the Twittersphere.