Be slow of tongue and quick of eye.

Speaking quickly commits you before you have understood the situation, while watching quickly gathers what you need to respond well. Most people do the reverse, forming a reply while the other person is still talking and missing half of what is happening in the room. Observation costs nothing and gives nothing away, and it tends to reveal the unspoken part: who is uneasy, what nobody is mentioning, where the real decision lies.

In your next group conversation, let others speak first and hold your contribution until you have noticed at least three things about the room. Then say less than you planned and see what it changes.