The presentation is over. You've delivered your sure-to-win-them-over conclusion, and you heave a big sigh of relief. Not so fast.
How you handle the question-and-answer (Q&A) session following a presentation can be as important as what you do during the presentation itself.
By preparing for your listeners' questions and maintaining control of those questions, you can add impact to your presentation. Without adequate preparation, you can undo everything your speech accomplished.
Preparing for questions occurs at several points during your preparation process. Even during the preparation step, when you analyze the audience and set your goals, you should anticipate questions that might arise. For example, if you know that one of your colleagues always raises objections to proposals based on longterm implications, you can be sure to project your data to cover the future impact. If your presentation depends heavily on explaining quantitative figures to nonquantitative people, you can test your figures and charts on a colleague beforehand. Not only will this give you the opportunity to prepare answers, you also can test those answers when you rehearse.
This chapter describes common pitfalls associated with answering questions and provides suggestions for using Q&A sessions to add strength and credibility to your presentation. We'll address the following:
• Preparing for questions
• Taking questions in a business presentation
• Listening effectively to questions
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• Responding when you don't know the answer
• Maintaining control of the Q&A session
• Planting questions: Is this a good strategy?
Preparing for Questions
Competent speakers prepare for question-and-answer sessions by anticipating questions during their preparation process. Politicians sometimes prepare for debates and press conferences by having their aides ask them the toughest questions they might face. If you are having trouble anticipating questions, try running your presentation (or its major points) past a colleague, or check with someone who will be attending the
presentation and ask about their major concerns. By anticipating questions, you can be prepared not only to reply but also to have any needed backup information or data.
Although anticipating questions can be helpful, there is no substitute for thoroughly preparing your content. Public speaking textbooks often recommend that you gather three times as much information as you need for a presentation. Some of that added preparation will give you more knowledge and a higher comfort level on your topic, and much of it can be useful support in your question-and-answer session. Even if your presentation does not specifically cover the topic of a question, you might be able to use a piece of background information to satisfy your listeners and to demonstrate your competence on the topic.
Taking Questions in a Business Presentation
Should you have the audience hold questions until the end, or should you take them during the presentation? There are pros and cons to both approaches.
Obviously, if you are doing an instructional presentation and your audience's understanding of subsequent material will depend on their understanding of earlier material, then you need to answer questions as they come up—or at internal summary points during your presentation.
When you use this technique, you need to make certain your audience isn't diverted from your main purpose and doesn't lose the thread of your message. Additionally, if you have strict time constraints, answering questions during your presentation may prevent you from completing the presentation.
By holding questions to the end, you may run the risk of not being able to address major concerns during
Page 173 the presentation. However, it may be worth the tradeoff for a smooth, flowing talk delivered within your time constraints.
Let your audience know at the outset if they should ask questions along the way or hold them to the end of the presentation. Only you can decide which strategy works best, depending on your topic, audience, purpose, and time limits.
Listening Effectively to Questions
Many times, a speaker's listening skills suffer because of anxiety about delivering a major presentation. It's important to listen to questions carefully and to be prepared to respond with a quick, accurate, and appropriate reply.
When you are asked a question, make direct eye contact with the questioner and focus on the key words in the question. If you don't understand the question, ask for clarification (for example, you might say, "If I understand you correctly, you're asking . . .").
Be certain that you stay tuned in to the nonverbal communication that is associated with the question. A questioner's gestures, facial expression, and tone of voice can help you interpret the substance and tone of the message.
Do not fall into the trap of using rehearsed party-line responses. Politicians who answer every question with a rehearsed answer sound shallow. Be respectful of all questioners, and offer them an intelligent response.
Be certain to monitor your own gestures, facial expressions, and other nonverbal cues when you are both listening to questions and answering them.
If you are on a team or panel, be attentive when others are speaking. Your inattention, even if you are preparing your own points, might be seen as an unintended sign of disrespect.
Responding When You Don't Know the Answer
If you haven't anticipated a question or you don't have the information, don't fake it! It is not worth the risk to your credibility as a speaker or as a manager to take a chance on information that might be wrong. The best approach is to indicate that you don't know the answer, and if it is important,
Page 174 tion to that individual; however, we recommend that you do so with caution—it is extremely easy to lose control of your presentation.
Remember, it is appropriate to point out, politely, that a question is not relevant and that the group needs to focus on the issues at hand.
Maintaining Control of the Question-and-Answer Session
When you're the presenter, you're in charge, during both the presentation and the Q&A session. Several techniques will help you maintain control:
• Answer questions succinctly and nondefensively.
• Be informative rather than persuasive.
• Stick to the facts.
• Do not allow yourself to be drawn into a debate with a member of the audience.
The trick is to remember that when a question is asked, focus on the questioner, and when you respond, speak to the entire group. By including everyone in the reply, you will discourage the disruptive sideline chats that can occur while you are engaging one member and inadvertently excluding the rest of your audience. This technique can also help diffuse tension in a hostile situation.
When the allotted time is ending, or after you have answered major concerns, signal the close of your presentation: "We have time for only one more question." "My time is just about up."
There are two common mistakes speakers make during Q&A sessions. The first is forgetting to monitor the amount of time left. The second is failing to leave time for a brief concluding statement that will wrap up the session.
Ending the Q&A
In closing, you should shift the question-and-answer session back to your presentation topic in order to refocus your audience. Here's an example:
Thank you for your attention. I appreciate your interest in the new laser printer we have been developing, and I trust you'll continue your enthusiastic support of this venture. Please feel free to contact me with any additional concerns or ideas for strengthening the project.
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Planting Questions:
Should You Do It?
We were surprised to learn that the instructor of a course on public speaking offered by a well-known organization suggested "planting" questions in the audience. Here's how it would work: A friendly coworker (or classmate) would ask what seemed to be a tough question; the speaker would then impress the audience (or the instructor) with a thorough response, sometimes backed up by additional visual aids.
Although planted questions have been alleged to occur at White House press conferences, this technique is seldom appropriate for a business setting (or any situation, for that matter). In fact, we consider the practice to be unethical.
Questions from the audience should be spontaneous. We don't advocate engineering a Q&A session in order to improve your image. Moreover, when it is apparent that a question is a setup, the speaker's credibility can become suspect.
End Point
To a novice speaker, a question-and-answer session may seem like an intimidating situation, akin to a firing squad or an inquisition by a grand jury. It shouldn't be. A question-and-answer session is a positive opportunity for a speaker to advance the points made in the presentation and to clarify any areas of confusion. With the proper preparation, most speakers learn to welcome the Q&A and even enjoy the challenge.
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