Highly successful people do 4 simple things when answering unexpected questions: 'You'll never be blindsided again'

People don't like being caught off guard. Even the most accomplished professionals frequently ask me: "What do I do when I'm put on the spot?" They worry they'll ramble, hedge, or get defensive.

As a workplace psychology expert and executive coach, I've spent the last 15 years showing leaders at companies like Google and Amazon how to communicate better. And I know that few things are more nerve-racking than speaking off the cuff.

Suddenly all eyes are on you and you have to think on your feet. Freeze up and you risk leaving the impression that you're disorganized or unprepared. But stay composed, and you show that you can think clearly under pressure, which is a crucial element of executive presence.

Use these strategies to handle unexpected questions with poise and you'll never be blindsided again. 

Your instinct might be to deflect ("I'm probably not the best person to comment") or water down your response with qualifiers ("Well, I don't really know about other departments, but I think maybe from what I've heard…"). Neither option instills confidence.

Instead, clearly define the boundaries of what you do know from the vantage point of your role, your past experience, or your access to information. This sounds far more authoritative and lets you contribute meaningfully without overstating your knowledge. 

You might say: 

• "From a graphic design perspective, I can say…"
• "Based on the three product implementations I've been part of…"
• "I have direct visibility into our conversations with client [X], so I can speak to…" 

When you're caught off guard, asking a question in return can be a powerful move. It not only gives you a moment to gather your thoughts, but it can also provide you with concrete information to frame your response. 

Delivering your question with a curious tone ensures you're seen as someone who listens carefully and thinks before they speak. 

You might say: 

• "Can you say more about what you're specifically concerned about?"
• "Which part of this would be the most helpful to unpack?"
• "What's making this top of mind right now?" 

The best communicators understand that most questions are really requests for one of three things: reassurance ("Is this under control?"), guidance ("What should I think about this?"), or action ("What do I need to do?"). 

When the head of operations asks about projections, for instance, they're not looking for every assumption in your financial model. They want to know if they need to prepare their boss for bad news.

Try to gauge the underlying need and address it in your response. 

You might say: 

• "We're on track to hit our targets for this month. I'll reach out if anything changes."
• "The way I see it, we have two options: [X] and [Y]. I recommend [X]."  
• "We go live on Monday, so your team can start planning around that." 

Sometimes you don't have the answer on the spot, and that's okay. The key is to show how the delay benefits them, not that it reflects a gap in your knowledge or is evidence that you're scrambling. 

You might say: 

• "Let me pull the data so I'm not working from memory. You deserve accurate numbers."
• "I want to make sure I'm giving you a complete answer. Give me until Friday." 
• "A quick reaction won't do this justice. We can give you a much better strategy if we have a day to think it through." 

Thinking on your feet is becoming more critical than ever. After all, anyone can sound somewhat articulate via email by using AI. Fair or not, people will increasingly judge your capabilities by how you respond in unscripted moments.

Melody Wilding, LMSW is an executive coach, human behavior professor, and author of "Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge." Get her free training, 5 Steps to Speak Like a Senior Leader, here. 

Want to be a successful, confident communicator? Take CNBC's online course Become an Effective Communicator: Master Public Speaking. We'll teach you how to speak clearly and confidently, calm your nerves, what to say and not say, and body language techniques to make a great first impression. Get started today.