How to Ace the Q&A

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

I’ve seen many speakers give a great speech only to lose the audience through fumbles during the Q and A. The speaker gets derailed because he can’t answer a question, or she can’t get a questioner to stop talking, or he gets into a shouting match with the questioner, or — the list of ways Q and A can go wrong seems to be endless. Here are a few tips for making sure your interaction with the audience is as good as your scripted remarks.

Begin by listening closely to the question. That one seems like a no-brainer, but surprisingly it’s not. It’s often difficult for speakers who have been deep in adrenaline mode to switch off the talk track in their heads and listen to someone else. And the questioner may be nervous and fumble her words as a result or speak haltingly. So be patient. You’ll hear the first part of the question and be tempted to assume the rest. Resist. Wait out the question, standing still, facing the questioner, and listen to the entire question with your whole body. Why? People ask questions to get answers, sure, but also to be heard and seen. It takes courage to ask a question in front of your peers. So show courtesy to the questioner. Wait the question out. You’ll get more and better questions, and by showing respect to the audience, you’ll get respect back.

Repeat the question to show you’ve understood it. People often start talking before the mike gets to them, or…