Q: I’ve been asked to deputise for someone in a meeting at last minute with almost no briefing. How do I survive without losing face or appearing unprepared?

A: You should try some or all of the following:

• Speak to the chair before the meeting starts and explain that you are attending as a deputy and haven’t been briefed – and ask for any background information the chair thinks may be helpful to you
• During any introductions, explain the situation to everyone in the meeting (unless the chair does that for you)
• If any questions arise about the progress made by the person you’re deputising for, respond by saying that you’ll have to revert back once you’ve spoken to them – don’t bluff or guess any answers
• If any actions are suggested for you, remind the meeting that you’re a deputy and hadn’t expected to personally pick up any actions
• If any actions are suggested for the person you’re deputising for, explain to the meeting that you can’t commit them to any deadlines without speaking to them first
• Take copious notes and make sure you brief the person you deputised for as soon as possible after the meeting
• If appropriate, arrange to attend the next meeting along with the person you deputised for, to ensure continuity