How to deal with difficult questions at the end of the your presentation
- catherine6819
- 5 juin
- 5 min de lecture
The Challenge of Difficult Questions
As a public speaking coach for non-native English speakers, I work with a lot of excellent speakers. But there is one thing that unites all of them, and that is the fear of being asked a difficult question at the end of their presentation.
Why? First of all, it might be that you don’t understand the question. No one wants to be the person who says “Can you repeat that please?” five times!
Secondly, maybe you understand the question but you don’t actually have the answer and you don’t want to look like you don’t know what you’re talking about, especially if you’re in a high-stakes situation with an important client, or with the big bosses.
The issue with questions is that they’re out of your control: you don’t know what questions people are going to ask you in advance (even though you can prepare for what you think the audience may ask you). A prepared presentation can be stressful enough already, but not being able to control questions can really increase your stress levels.
The main thing I try to help my clients with is how to take back control of questions.
Why Do People ask these tough Questions
Before we get onto how to deal with tough questions, remember the most people are not trying to catch you out or derail you (although of course this can happen). So why are people asking you these tough questions?
Seeking clarification: The audience member may not fully understand a concept or point you've made and needs additional information or explanation.
Challenging your expertise: Some audience members may want to see if you are really an expert on this topic.
Voicing concerns or objections: it may be that this audience member doesn’t share your opinion on a particular topic and wants to raise this.
By recognising these potential motivations, you can better prepare yourself to respond effectively
Start with the Rules
Once you’ve finished the first part of your introduction and your audience are engaged and ready to hear what else you have to say, you need to take charge of questions. This means telling them what to expect. Can they interrupt you to ask questions throughout the presentation? Should they put questions in the chat (if you’re online)? Will there be a Q&A at the end? How long will it be? Set the rules and you’ve already started taking control of questions.
The 4-Step Techniques for Handling Tough Questions
This is the technique that we teach our clients to take back control of questions. You don’t need to do every step every time, but being ready to do it means that you’ll be able to deal with even the most complicated questions.
1. Clarify the Question
Before attempting to answer a difficult question, it's crucial to ensure that you fully understand what the audience member is asking. Paraphrase the question back to them to confirm your understanding, and don't be afraid to ask for clarification if needed, or to say that you didn’t catch it. Many of my clients think that not understanding the question is their fault, that their English isn’t good enough, but remember that many people don’t ask clear questions. Add to that the fact that some audience members will be non-native speakers of English with unfamiliar accents, or native speakers who are speaking too fast: even for native English-speakers it can be hard to understand the question.
2. Check that your understanding is correct
Once you’ve paraphrased the question, ask the audience member directly, “Is that what you want to know?” This will give the person another chance to ask the question if you haven’t understood (and remember that not understanding is not necessarily your fault!)
3. Answer the question or “park” it
This is where you can decide whether to answer the question or not. There is not shame in telling the person asking the question that you don’t have the information right now and that you’ll get back to them. You can also employ the politician’s trick of not answering the question directly, but giving the answer to a question that you’d rather answer! For example, you could say, “I can’t answer that right now, but what I can tell you is…”
4. Check you’ve answered the question
Don’t just leave things there, ask your audience member directly, “Did that answer your question?”
Always end the Q&A with your own message
You gave a fantastic presentation, with a clear message and call to action, but after 20 minutes of questions, your message is a bit lost. At the end of a Q&A session, always finish off with your key message again. For example, you can say, “That’s all we have time for now. Thanks for your questions and please remember your key message.” Your audience will remember the last thing they hear, so make sure it’s relevant.
Prepare for Tough Questions
While you can't anticipate every possible question that may be asked during your presentation, there are steps you can take to prepare for the unexpected. Make a list of all the questions you might be asked, especially if there are sensitive or controversial topics that people might want to address. It’s better to be prepared, even if there are things you’d rather not talk about.
You can brainstorm by thinking about:
The key topics and concepts covered in your presentation
Potential areas of confusion or ambiguity
Controversial or sensitive subject matter that may elicit strong reactions
Common questions or objections you've encountered in the past
Prepare Fallback Responses
In addition to anticipating specific questions, it's also helpful to have a set of fallback responses that you can use to address a wide range of challenging questions. These might include:
Deferring the question: "That's an interesting question, but I don't have the specific information to answer it right now. Let me follow up with you after the presentation and provide more details."
Redirecting the question: "That's a great question, and I think it would be valuable to get the perspective of the rest of the audience. What are your thoughts on this?"
Acknowledging the complexity: "That's a complex issue, and there are a lot of factors to consider. While I can't provide a comprehensive answer in the time we have here, I'd be happy to discuss this further with you after the presentation or provide some additional resources on the topic."
By having these types of responses ready, you can maintain your composure and keep the presentation on track, even when faced with unexpected or difficult questions.
Leverage your audience : Open Questions to the Audience
When faced with a difficult question, consider opening it up to the rest of the audience. This not only allows you to defer the responsibility of answering, but it also encourages audience participation and can lead to a more engaging and enlightening discussion. Phrases like "That's a great question. I'd be curious to hear what the rest of the audience thinks about this" or "Does anyone else have any insights or experiences to share on this topic?" can be really helpful and also make a more dynamic and engaging experience for your audience.
Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Handling Tough Questions
Dealing with difficult questions is an inevitable part of being a presenter or public speaker, but it's also an opportunity to showcase your professionalism, expertise, and ability to think on your feet.
Remember, the key to handling tough questions is to remain calm, focused, and responsive to the needs of your audience and by following our 4-step strategy, you can feel more in control.
If you’d like to work on public speaking in English, dealing with unexpected questions and responding clearly and coherently, get in touch!
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