THE TWO MOST FEARED LETTERS IN PUBLIC SPEAKING
Safely Navigate Your Way Through Your Next Q&A

The Question and Answer session is at the same time the most feared and most pivotal part of many presentations. Knowing a few critical rules on the Dos and Don’ts of Q&A handling can mean the difference between looking like a knowledgeable resource or an unconfident buffoon.

The good news about Q&A sessions is that in terms of delivery, it is the easiest part of any talk. Why is this? Because we are simply carrying on a conversation with the questioner, and we are all comfortable doing this. This is a time when we naturally connect with our audience and no longer consider ourselves “presenting”.

We can also get ourselves in heaps of trouble if we don’t handle things correctly. To help prepare you for your next session, here are

The Ten Commandments of Question and Answer Sessions:

1. Decide whether you are going to take questions throughout the presentation or at the end (and let your audience know). If you take them at the end, don’t do it at the very end. Take the questions, then close with a prepared conclusion. Otherwise, the last thing your audience members might hear (which they will remember the most) will be you saying, “Um, I’m not quite sure. Can I get back to you on that?”
2. Make sure you understand the question (check for clarification if you are not sure). And be careful about saying “Good question”. It could lead people to think that every other one was a bad question.
3. Make sure everyone in the room heard (if not, repeat it). Be careful, however, about repeating the question simply for the sake of stalling. Our audiences are hip to this.
4. Answer the question succinctly. Nothing will burn up more time than you rambling on after you have already answered their query.
5. Be careful about the time. Know how much time you have for Q&A, and keep an eye on the clock. If you run out of time, offer to talk with people after the presentation and go to your close.
6. Spotlight-Floodlight: In other words, begin your answer to the questioner (spotlight) and then finish it with the rest of the group (floodlight). This way you keep everyone engaged. And make sure that the question is of interest to as many people as possible.
7. Don’t engage hostile questioners. If you get into it with a combatant, you risk having the entire room turn against you. If someone is trying to start something with you, either answer them briefly and then move on to someone else (in a different part of the room) or offer to discuss their matter with them when you are finished (“off-line”).
8. If you want people to ask questions, say something like “Who has the first question to ask?” Then give them time to think, get up the courage to raise their hands and see if anyone else is going to ask. If you don’t want anyone to ask, say, “Does anyone have any questions before we break for lunch?” (This never fails).
9. Cross your fingers and hope that they don’t ask something that you can’t answer. If they do, you have three choices:
   1. Make it up (not advisable).
   2. See if someone else knows. If done correctly, this will get the audience more involved and won’t look like you are trying to dish it off.
   3. Admit that you don’t know and offer to find out for them and get back to them. Then make sure that you do it.
10. Watch Politicians. Whether you them or not, politicians are the masters at deftly answering some of the most difficult questions around (or answering the question they wish they were asked.)

Robert Graham


Robert Graham is the Principal of GrahamComm (www.grahamcomm.net), a consulting and training company that helps clients increase their sales and deliver outstanding presentations. He can be reached at 415-652-0763 or Robert@grahamcomm.net.

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