How To Handle a Questions & Answers Session Successfully
Depending on the speech, the audience might want to ask questions. It could be that they want you to elaborate on a point of give additional information. If you are going to take questions, tell your audience when you will answer them. You can say something like: “I will take seven questions at the end of the presentation.” Or “if you have any questions during the presentation please put your hand in the air and I will address your questions as we go along.” It is important to remain in control of the question and answer session.
HERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES TO HANDLE A QUESTIONS AND ANSWER SESSION SUCCESSFUL:
- Allocate a definite timeframe for questions at the end of your speech.
- Tell your audience how many questions you will take i.e. seven.
- When you answer a question, talk to everybody in the room, not just to the person who asked the question.
- Repeat the question that was asked for those who did not hear the question.
- If you do not understand the question, ask the person to rephrase the question for you.
- Reinstate the question for those people who do not know how to ask their own question i.e. so what you are actually asking is……., is that correct?
- Remember to also take questions from the back of the room and on the sides.
- Answer each question briefly, clearly and to the point.
- You can start to answer the question with: “thank you for asking” or “interesting question” or “good question” or “important question” etc.
- If you are asked a question that you cannot answer, be honest and admit it. You can say something like: “I am not sure, but if you leave me your details I will find out and get back to you.”
- In the extreme cases you might feel someone is deliberately trying to humiliate or challenge you. If this is the case, you can simply say something like: “Your question requires a detailed explanation which I’m not going to go into now, but I am willing to meet with you one-on-one after this session to discuss it. Thank you, next question.”
- Notify the audience when there is just enough time for one more question.