Think Fast! 5 Ways to Perform Under Pressure

Buy Some Time

"Paraphrasing the key points someone else just made gives you a moment to gather your thoughts before responding. Like: 'I heard you saying________ . Is that right?' or 'It sounds like the questions you're raising are___________ . Did I miss anything?' This not only ensures that you processed the information correctly but also lets the other person know you are listening, interested, and committed to the topic at hand. Don't use this tool more than once or twice in a conversation, though, or you'll risk sounding like a parrot."

—Larina Kase, PsyD, cognitive-behavioral psychologist and coauthor of The Confident Speaker