Replying to QUESTIONS

How often have you been to a meeting where the chairperson asks “Are there any questions?”

            Often you get a deathly silence which can be embarrassing to the speaker.

            There is a simple way to get a flow of questions.

Five of the best tips on ways to handle questions after making a presentation to an audience

* Listen with care

             Make sure you have heard the question clearly. If you are not sure ask the questioner to repeat it. Not every question deserves an answer.

* Filter your questions through the chairperson

            When questions come, before you attempt to answer them, ask the chairperson to repeat the question. This ensures that everyone in the audience has heard the question, including you.

            It also gives you time to think about the answer and to straighten out any waffle that often goes with a question.            Many people seem to like to hear their own voices.

            This will give you time to think and prepare an answer.

            Very often you don’t get a question but a statement. The chairperson can sort this out and call for a question, not a statement.

 * Ask the chairperson to give the audience a short question break

            “For the next few minutes chat with the person sitting next to you. What did you learn? Are there any points you would like clarifying or expanding?  What questions would you like to ask?”

            When the meeting is called back to order, usually questions flow fast and often.

* Rephrase a question

            Restate or rephrase a question to clarify it. You can always say, “As I understand it, you are asking me if…..”

            Turn an obscure or pointless question into an intelligent one and one you can answer.

* Answer questions briefly

            Keep your comments short and to the point.

            The chairperson should be impartial and take questions in order but should restrict aggressive questioners by taking questions from other people.

            Don’t answer a question unless you know the answer.

            Don’t bluff an answer. If you don’t know, say so. Your audience will respect you more if you are honest with them.

            You can always offer to find the answer for them later on. 

-Geoffrey Moss (mossassociates.co.nz)

“It’s not the answer that usually enlightens but the question.”

Source: “Persuasive Ways. ‘Tricks of the trade’ to get your ideas across”. First published by  Moss Associates Ltd., New Zealand and in Chinese by the Shanghai People’s Publishing House; the Singapore Institute of Management; Kogan Page Ltd, U.K.; Hungarian by Bagolyvar Konyvkiado and VIKAS in India.  Also published as the “Secrets of Persuasion” by Cengage Learning Asia and as an e-book and sold by Amazon.com.