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back to your central idea. Your answers, rather than the questions, are what
are important. We’re not suggesting that you dodge questions; you should
address the question asked, but then reemphasize the key points you have
made. Some seasoned speakers suggest that you save a bit of your speech
to deliver during the Q & A session. It’s called giving a “double-barreled”
talk.^41 You present your speech, and then, during the Q & A period, you give
your second, much briefer speech.• Respond to the audience, not just the person who asked the question. Although
you can start your response by having eye contact with the person who
asked you a question, make sure that you stay audience-centered. Look at
all audience members and keep in mind that your response should be rel-
evant to them. If the questioner wants specific information that is of interest
only to that person, you could speak with the questioner individually after
your speech.
• Ask yourself the first question. One way to prime the audience for the Q & A
session is to ask yourself a challenging question first. For example, you might
say, “As we move into Q & A, a number of you may be wondering... .”
State the question, and answer it. Doing this also gives you a comfortable
way to make a transition between the speech and the Q & A period. Ask-
ing yourself a tough question tells the audience that you’re open for serious
questions, and it snaps them to attention as well.
• Listen nonjudgmentally. Use the effective listening skills that we discussed in
Chapter 5. Keep your eyes focused on the person asking the question, lean
forward slightly, and give your full attention to the questioner. Audience
members expect speakers to be polite and attentive. If you think the ques-
tion is stupid, don’t say so. Just listen and respond courteously. Audience
members can judge for themselves whether a question was appropriate or
not. Don’t wince, grimace, or scowl at the questioner. You’ll gain more cred-
ibility by keeping your cool than by losing your composure.
• Neutralize hostile questions. Every hostile question gives you an opportunity
to score points with your listeners. You’ll have your listeners’ attention; use
that attention to your advantage. The following strategies can help:
Restate the question. If the question was a lengthy attack, focus on the
essence of the issue. Suppose a questioner says, “Your ideas are just
wrong! I’m angry that you have no clue as to how to proceed. Your
proposal has been a disaster in the past. Why are you still trying to
make it work?” A paraphrase could be “You’re asking me why I’m still
trying to implement a program that hasn’t been successful. From your
perspective, the program has failed.”
Acknowledge emotions. For example, you could say, “I can understand
why you are angry. I share your anger and frustration. It’s because of
my frustration that I want to give my proposal more time to work.”