Q&A: How to Face a Firing Squad without Being Shot

My clients often fear the Question and Answer session. They feel anxious and unprepared because they don’t know what will be asked. They know their content but don’t know how to organize it in the moment. For some public speakers a Q&A session is akin to facing a firing squad.

Recently, I saw a news clip of a politician being grilled by a reporter. It was obvious that the agenda was to make him look bad. The reporter cited a litany of complaints and asked why these issues were not resolved. The politician jumped in and proceeded to answer the question. The reporter interrupted him and accused him of not letting her finish. He responded with “You asked me Why. I’m answering your question.”

She cut him off and continued to highlight issues and shortcomings.

The politician interjected, “Are you asking a question or giving a speech?” (He knew her agenda was to highlight the negative). He finished by explaining that he delegated the process to the experts who were better equipped to make decisions for their industry than the government.

He never lost control because he practiced positive public speaking principles for handling difficult audiences.

1. He listened but didn’t let the questioner ramble. He cut in and began to answer. Another alternative to interrupting is to say “What is the question?”

2. When she continued to dominate the platform with a soliloquy he challenged her. When a questioner won’t get to the point, the moderator or speaker can say, “Please be brief.” Or summarize, “What I understand your question to be is… “ and then answer the question.

3. He gave a clear explanation without apology or emotion. He confidently held his ground. It’s not effective to get angry with a questioner.

   Not all questioners are hostile or have an underlying agenda. Some audience members simply have trouble getting to the point. So help them out and stay calm, cool, and collected.

   The Q&A session is a forum for you to underscore your points, clarify your message, and provide information to the audience.

   The next time you’re on the firing line use these tips to ricochet those heat seeking questions and emerge unsinged.

Communication and Public speaking is a vital component of executive presence. Diane DiResta coaches executives to be influential public speakers. Companies hire Diane to deliver keynote speeches, seminars and workshops to train their teams in effective communication and leadership skills. Contact Diane

How to Present Complexity With Clarity

I recently came across this cartoon and started laughing out loud. It really resonated with me. I relate to that guy who's defaulting to something he knows and something he can understand. It's that old adage: Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Yet, so many presentations are like coming face- to-face with big data. And they make you want to jump out the window. This is especially true with financial, technology, and scientific presentations. I know how it feels when I buy a new piece of technology. I can't bear to look at the user manual. I'll either watch a how-to video or call upon my technical assistant because she speaks 'Geek' and English.

Apparently, there's too much geek being spoken in the workplace.

Wouldn't it be great if you could transfer your data into the minds of your listeners as easily as pushing a button? Recently, the actor Alan Alda was on the morning news promoting a new career. He's coaching scientists how to present to Congress. When scientists present to congressional committees, their audience doesn't understand what they're recommending. Their gobbledygook is as confusing to Congress as legislation is to the rest of us. The impact is they don't get the funding they need.

When I coach executives and leaders who are presenting at high-stakes venues or before the executive committee, the complaint is that they aren't succinct. Here are 5 tips for communicating simply and clearly.

1. Avoid using acronyms, buzz words, and jargon. Never assume your audience knows the meaning of company or industry jargon. Use the complete word or description initially. Later in the speech, you can use the acronym - after you've defined it.
2. Use analogies and metaphors from every day life. When speaking about something complex or technical, an analogy or metaphor will boil it down to its simplest essence. Recently a client was presenting about clinical trials. The slide was busy and there were a lot of complex details. I recommended that she refer to the clinical trial timeline as a dashboard. The dashboard metaphor simplified the timeline so the audience could understand the details without getting lost in the weeds.
3. Less is more: use shorter words and fewer of them. There is a misconception about using a large vocabulary when presenting. While it can make you sound smart, it can also confuse your audience. Simplicity equals clarity. Most marketing copy is aimed at an 8th grade reading level. While this makes the most erudite public speakers bristle, it ensures that the message is heard. The question is this: Do you want to be clever or clear?
4. Tell stories. A story has a natural sequence. When you have a lot of data and it's wrapped in a story, it has the same effect as using an analogy or metaphor. People can follow it. They get involved.
5. Start with the big picture. The biggest mistake technical presenters make, is they get lost in the detail. Start with the helicopter view. Listeners need a roadmap. So give them context. Give them the big idea, and then drill down for details. If you ordered a turkey sandwich and it came with the meat on top of the roll, you would send it back. Well that's the experience your listeners have when you start with detail. Save the meat for the middle of your presentation. Use a speech template and plug in your data to keep your presentation organized and simple.

Use these tips to present big data with clarity, and your presentation will become a data transfer system that your listeners understand.

Craft and Deliver Your Presentation With Clarity, Confidence and Impact.