Ask for Clarification to Buy Time When Asking Questions on the Spot
Most people look flustered or ignorant when asked an unexpected question. To avoid making the wrong impression and getting your foot in your mouth, buy time by asking for clarification.
Having a couple of extra seconds to think about it can mean the difference between an eloquent response and an inept one. However, people often do not like to devote this time to you. Indecision is seen as the answer, and the haste of a conspiracy usually doesn’t go well. However, as The Art of Masculinity explains, asking for clarification can give you time to think and also allow those asking the question to dig deeper into what they really want to know:
If the question is vague and / or repetitive, answer with your own question, which tries to clarify and indicate what the seeker is trying to achieve. What product does he mean? What time frame does she mean? What aspect of something are they thinking about?
Of course, even the way you ask this question should be treated with some caution (asking someone to clarify the definition of “is” can be problematic), but in general, the more you open a dialogue and are ready to answer questions, the person with who you are talking to can give you more freedom in choosing a good answer.
Thinking on Your Feet: How to Answer Tough Questions | The art of masculinity