356 / TAKING CENTER STAGE
Running the Q&A
Making time for questions
Always allow time in every presentation
for questions and answers or some other
form of audience feedback. If your format
doesn’t allow for a session following
your presentation, consider addressing
questions as they come up.
Audiences often look forward to the
question and answer session more than
to the presentation itself. It is at this time
that their needs move to center stage—
they can engage with you directly and
test the strength with which you hold
your ideas. You should welcome the
Q&A because the questions will indicate
if you have been effective, and if you
have addressed what the audience really
wants to know. Consider the Q&A as
feedback—a way of strengthening your
presentation content and delivery.
The question and answer part of your presentation is a great
opportunity to drive home your key points and cement the bonds you
have established with your audience. Q&A sessions keep an audience
engaged and provide you with an invaluable insight into how they have
received and understood your communication.
MAINTAIN OPENNESS
Stay away from defensive
language—phrases such
as “You misunderstand
my point”—and seek to be
empathetic: “I can certainly
understand your objections.”
Tip
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RUNNING THE Q&A / 357
Staying in control
Clearly signal the start of the Q&A
session not only with your words
but through body language; an open
posture indicates you are ready for
questions. Stay in control of the session
at all times by directing the format and
focus of the questions. Although this
part of the presentation is unscripted,
there are techniques to help keep the
session focused:
•
Keep questioners on track: if they
begin to wander off the point, you
could say, for example, “We’re
running short of time and I want
to make sure we return to the
immediate issue at hand.”
•
Don’t allow audience members to
engage in their own separate debates,
or to interrupt one another. Step in
and direct the process with a quick
assertion of control: “Susan, I’d like
to hear your question, then we will
turn to the issue Brian is raising.”
•
Seek to find common themes,
or larger points that will get the
discussion back to a message:
“These are good points that deal
with different ways to reach the
goal we’ve been talking about.”
•
Don’t dismiss questions even if
it is clear that someone missed
a key element of your presentation.
Graciously repeat a quick summary
for the questioner without making
them feel awkward.
USE TOUCHSTONES
Keep repeating key words and
phrases—or touchstones—
in your answers. This will
emphasize crucial points
and help audience retention.
GOOD QUESTION!
Don’t overuse the response:
“That’s a good question!” or
it will lose its meaning with
your audience.
Tip
Tip
WRAPPING UP
Signal in advance your intention to close off questions, with a statement
such as, “We have time for two more questions and then I’ll wrap this up.”
Don’t just end abruptly after the last question is answered. Instead, take a
moment to summarize your key points and offer your audience next steps
or actions they can take. Be succinct in this final closing, and restate
without repeating what has come before. Remember to leave on an upbeat
and positive note, and thank people for their time and their attention.
In focus
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