When a guest starts meandering, the less you say, the better. I always steer clear of "let me get back to my notes" or "can you keep it focused" - those phrases scream 'you're off track'. Instead, I pause, and say something like "I want to make sure we cover X, Y, and Z in this episode. Can you tell me more about how that relates to our main topic?" or "That's really interesting, can we circle back to what we were discussing earlier about A?"

The key is to gently steer the conversation back to the topic without invalidating their thoughts. Remember, your goal is not to cut them off, but to refocus the conversation on the main discussion. Avoid apologizing or making excuses for the detour; it sends the wrong signal and gives them permission to keep rambling. Instead, use a calm, matter-of-fact tone to nudge the conversation back on track.

When redirecting, it's essential to acknowledge and validate the guest's contribution. A simple "I appreciate where you're going with this" or "That's a great point, but let's make sure we cover the main topics too" can help them feel heard and understood, while also refocusing the discussion.