I attended a session where someone asked “What do you do when the group is talking about something that you know nothing about?”  I know the feeling: with every minute that goes by, your smile gets more frozen, and you feel more like a statue.

The moderator had a brilliant suggestion: “Ask a question. “I know nothing about that, can you explain x?”  And watch the conversation flow around you, instead of past you. And as more is explained, more questions can come up.  Congratulations: you just joined in.

So simple. So brilliant.