Public Speaking Tips to Conquer a Tough Q&A Session
Even after you’ve given a great presentation, a tough Q & A session can deflate your confidence. But when the questions get difficult, you can still keep your cool and come out looking more knowledgeable than ever if you follow these public speaking tips to conquer a tough question and answer session:
1. Listen. Listen to the entire question before answering. This shows you are courteous and care about the concerns of the people you’ve given your information to.
2. Repeat or Rephrase the question. This ensures that everyone in the room knows what the question was. It also gives you a chance to get clarification or neutralize someone’s negative wording.
3. Engage the whole room. If you direct your entire answer to the questioner, they could ask question after question, holding up the presentation and potentially trapping you. Answering to the entire group gets other people involved and keeps you from getting stuck.
4. Be honest. If you don’t know the answer, say so. It’s better to find the answer later than to make a mistake.
5. Return to your conclusion. After the Q & A section is done, go back to the conclusion of your presentation. This lets you end on a positive note and gives you the last word.
To learn more, check out my video blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6niJtEZtuY
Make Every Presentation Great,
Sheri Jeavons
Virtual Communications Coach
