A speaker, no matter how brilliant his or her speech, sooner or later begins to receive provocative questions from the audience. Let's figure out who asks such questions to the speaker, for what purpose are provocative or objectionable questions asked?
So, difficult situations for the speaker when dealing with questions and objections from the audience.
Some of your audience belongs to the category of debaters. Don't try to argue with these people, it's impossible by definition.
The initial task of the debater is to gain recognition from the audience. If a speaker receives a question from a debater in the audience, I recommend saying:
"That's a good question. Is it possible to discuss it after the talk or"
Thank you very much for asking this question. It's great that you brought it up." We recommend answering the question very briefly and telling the audience,
that you will answer this question in detail after your speech. You can return to the performance yourself.
Category Provocateurs.
Provocateurs often ask questions that have no answer. They also crave attention and respect from their audience. Even if you try to answer the provocateur’s message, know that these people have counterarguments prepared. It is optimal for the speaker to neutralize this question by offering to answer it in private after your presentation.
Category of listeners: Chatterboxes.
People of this type will ask you questions just to ask you something in public. To neutralize chatterboxes, it is recommended that the speaker in his speech answer some questions in advance in his presentation - this way you will not give chatterboxes a chance to show their curiosity. Sometimes a speaker may delay responding to a question and do so after the presentation.
What should a speaker do when there is no answer to a question?
What should a speaker do if he needs to think about the answer to a difficult question from the audience?
In order for the speaker to stall for time while thinking through an answer to a question posed from the audience, we recommend that the speaker ask the following question to the audience:
1. Could you please clarify your question?
2. Good question - what do you think about this?
3. It’s good that you focused your attention on this issue. Let's think about this together.
4. Interesting question, what do listeners think about it?
5. You can write down a question from the audience on a flipchart - this will give you a unique opportunity for yourself to clearly formulate the question and think about it.
There is only one golden rule of a speaker - Never put the person asking a question in an awkward position, even if this person, as a speaker, tried to put you in an awkward position.
In general, a speaker who allows the audience to answer questions at the beginning of his presentation appears stronger, more confident, and an interactive mode is always attractive to the audience.
It is optimal when the speaker answers questions during the presentation - this makes it possible to end the presentation on a high note, as you planned.
A speaker’s ability to respond to vorpos depends on several components:
1. Professional knowledge of the topic of the report.
2. Reaction speeds.
“Nikita, hello!<…>As for public speaking and presentations, I feel quite confident in this. But as soon as it comes to questions from the audience, I often cannot cope.<…>Either I’m afraid of questions, or I don’t understand how to work with them correctly. But I always find this part of the presentation unsure. Could you tell me how to effectively work with questions from the audience?<…>
Thanks in advance.
Sincerely, Maxim Zhdanov."
Answer:
If after your speech you receive questions from the audience, that’s great! Congratulations, you have aroused the audience's interest in your topic. This means that viewers have additional questions and want even more information and clarification. Now comes an important part of the speaker’s interactive work - interaction with the audience. And it is precisely this part of the answers to questions that can either improve the audience’s impression of your speech or, exactly the opposite, ruin the whole situation. It is a pity when successful presentations by speakers fail due to the inability to technically and competently answer questions from the audience. After all, questions are most often asked at the end of the speech, and the conclusion of the speech most strongly shapes the overall impression of the audience. I suggest you 15 main rules, which will help you always be on top when dealing with questions from the audience.
1. In advance anticipate questions and while preparing for your speech, think through answers to possible questions. For example, speechwriters, in addition to the speech itself, prepare for politicians a list of predicted questions and successful answers to them. And it turns out that in approximately 80-90% of cases, politicians have ready-made and most effective answers to even the most tricky and thorny questions. It’s not difficult to predict questions - just put yourself in the place of the audience and think about what they might be additionally interested in, where doubts or misunderstandings might arise, whether there are any hot and relevant topics that are related to the topic of your speech.
2. Don't ignore questions. Even if you didn’t have such activity in your plans, ignoring questions can ruin the whole impression of the performance. Firstly, this causes dissatisfaction among the audience, and secondly, your speech becomes a monologue, and the audience, as you understand, craves dialogue. Remember that by raising your hand, the viewer will already be completely focused on the thought of when this devil will answer my question, and not on the essence of your speech. Well, when there are several raised hands in the hall, and the speaker, as if nothing had happened, continues his speech, then the entire audience will be occupied with the thought: “How will this end? Is he blind? Will he answer in the end or not?.
3. It is advisable to announce in advance regulations– when and how you are ready to answer any questions that arise. If you're giving a short speech, there's no point in interrupting an intense, information-packed five-minute speech with questions. Invite the audience to write down the questions that arise and answer them at the end of the speech. If the speech is long, then with the help of questions at the end of each semantic block of your speech, you can dilute the speech with activities of different forms. It’s a good idea to determine in advance the form of asking questions - by raising your hand or using notes (the Regina Dubovitskaya method), which you will then read out.
4. Remember that questions from the audience can be expressed not only with a raised hand, but also with visual contact, when the viewer's gaze is filled with surprise / disagreement / desire for clarification and clarification / misunderstanding. Tactfully address the listener: “Do you have a question?”, “Can I clarify something?” and so on.
5. First complete the thought, only then answer the question. Sometimes a hand from the audience goes up right in the middle of a sentence. Inexperienced speakers immediately interrupt their thoughts mid-sentence and invite the listener to voice a question. As you understand, this is wrong. Both you and the audience lose the thread of your reasoning. Show the listener that you saw a raised hand (for example, continuing your thought, look at the person asking the question and shake your head or indicate with a gesture that you saw him and will answer at the first opportunity). And only after bringing your thought to its logical conclusion, invite the listener to voice his question. Most often, after receiving such a signal, listeners give up and continue to listen to you carefully. Only then do not forget to fulfill your promise and give the opportunity to ask a question.
6. Always thank you for the question. After all, a question from the audience is a manifestation of the audience’s interest and attention to you and the topic of your speech. It is often appropriate to compliment a question: “Thank you very much for your question! It’s really very sharp and relevant” or “Thank you! You touched on a very important aspect!”.
7. You 100% should be the point is clear the question asked. There's nothing worse than a vague, off-topic answer. Therefore, firstly, listen to the question to the end, and secondly, if necessary, be sure to ask clarifying questions. After you have clarified the essence of the question, repeat it loudly in a reformulated form: “Do I understand correctly that you are asking about...” and already begin your answer.
8. If you can’t immediately get your bearings and quickly answer a question, don’t be afraid take a time out: “The question is really interesting. Thank you! But to give a detailed answer to it, I need some time. Let me come back to your question and answer it during the next break.".
9. The answer to the question must be clear, concise and concise. There are situations when the speaker gets too carried away with the answer, loses the essence of his main speech or does not have time to answer other questions, or, even worse, does not have time to complete his speech due to limited time limits.
10. If the question is asked quietly by the listener, then be sure to repeat it loudly to the audience so that everyone can hear. Imagine the reaction of the audience: there is some kind of pause, somewhere in the front rows there is some kind of fuss, and then you start talking on a completely different topic. For example, the speaker talks about the technology of growing cucumbers in bags. A question from the front row, which, naturally, no one hears. And then the speaker answers the question: “Yes, thanks for the question. You know, Ivan Izralevich had appendicitis, so he didn’t have time to do it!” Stop! What appendicitis? Who the hell is Ivan Izralevich? What is this for? What is this speaker talking about, since he was talking about cucumbers? What should the speaker do? That’s right, repeat the question loudly so that the entire audience is aware and understands the logical thread: “Thanks for the question! I was just asked a question about whether the famous botanist Ivan Izralevich studied the cultivation of cucumbers in bags? He started this topic, but later he was diagnosed with appendicitis and did not have time to publish a monograph on this topic!” Phew, now everything has fallen into place.
11. There is nothing worse than answers from a speaker like “I already spoke about this at the beginning of my speech” or “You listened, I mentioned this fact”. If the audience demands clarification or repetition, do it.
12. Beginning speakers think that the question needs to be answered by the one who asked it. As a result, the audience remains unattended, becomes bored and loses interest in what is happening. Therefore, having received a question from one listener, be sure to respond to the entire audience.
13. If the same listener, after the first question, begins to bombard you with a series of other questions, do not be alarmed. If the questions are relevant and can really inform your presentation, they are worth answering. Only as briefly and concisely as possible. Otherwise, it is better to explain to the listener that time is limited, you need to answer questions from other listeners from the audience, and invite him to communicate after the performance(optionally, online).
14. If you feel that the listener can hardly formulate the essence of the question and just wants to give his comment, do not get lost and specify what the viewer wants: “Excuse me, what is the question?”, “Please formulate the question?”. Very often, under the guise of a question, viewers want to enter into a debate with the speaker or give their invaluable comment. If the regulations and format of the speech do not provide for this, do not hesitate to interrupt and clarify.
15. The situation looks ridiculous when the speaker’s question “What questions do you have?” In response, there is dead silence in the hall. This is very demotivating and frustrating for many speakers. There are several options here. Firstly, you can pause longer and support the audience: “Please don’t be shy, I’ll be happy to answer any questions.”. You can jokingly add to this: “...well, except for my personal life, of course” to stir up the audience a little and create the atmosphere more informal(although the question arises: what were you doing during the entire performance?). Another option: think ahead in your speech. a couple of aspects which are sure to raise questions. Third option: As you close your speech, say: “Thank you very much for your attention. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer and talk to everyone.” and leave the stage. Even if no questions are asked, there will no longer be an embarrassing situation in front of the entire audience. Fourth option: warm up the audience and encourage her to ask questions: “Before the performance, I was asked a question...”, “I often get asked questions about...”, “If you don’t have any questions yet, then let me ask you a question...” and so on.
I'm waiting for questions from blog readers...
The audience in the hall and our listeners are not always positive towards us and agree with everything we say. Very often conflict situations arise and you need to know how to behave correctly.
In this article I want to highlight 9.5 of the most effective, in my opinion, tips on how to respond to unfriendly listeners and how to prepare for possible questions.
Tip #1. Take questions more easily
Remember – You are the master in the audience. You have the right to answer only those questions to which you want or to which you know the answers. Avoid the stereotype that the speaker must know everything. You are not a “walking encyclopedia”.
Tip #2: Think of questions for yourself before speaking.
Before the presentation begins, sketch out as many questions as possible and involve knowledgeable people in this process. Select and analyze the answers to these questions so that there are arguments.
Never memorize answers, it will look unnatural. Just make sure you understand the question and the answer.
Tip No. 3. Answer without templates, respect the person asking the question
Listen to the question until the end and make sure you understand it. Ask again if necessary. Answer briefly, addressing those asking the question by name.
Avoid cliched phrases: “Good question!”, “Did I answer your question?”, “Well, as I understand it, these are all questions...”.
Replace them with phrases like this: “I liked your question,” “Original question,” “Thank you for your question.”
And don’t forget to look at the person asking the question at the beginning and end of the answer 20-30% of the time, and the remaining 70-80% of the time – to the audience.
Tip #4: Manage Issues
Before you speak, explain when and how you will take questions. In what quantity from one person and is it necessary to introduce yourself at the beginning of the question.
Never make exceptions to your rules, even for yourself. And do not forget to clearly indicate the person to whom you are giving the floor.
Tip #5: Don’t answer off-topic questions.
If a question is off topic, let them know and offer to ask the question after the presentation.
If there are actually two or three questions in one question, answer any one and refer to the regulations.
If you don't know the answer, don't bluff and be honest about it. Say that you will analyze it and send an answer by email, exchange contacts. You can also offer to discuss this issue in the audience or invite the questioner to express his opinion.
Tip #6: Maintain self-control
Don't answer the question harshly or too emotionally. Show the questioner your confidence and equanimity. If necessary, ask: “For what purpose did you ask this question?”, or “What exactly do you want in response?” If necessary, refer to the impossibility of providing this information and ignore the question.
Tip #7: Don’t be manipulated
Questions like “What if...” or “What if it happens...” force you to fantasize and come up with something. Get the other person back on track by answering, “That's just a guess. In fact, things are like this...”
If instead of a question you hear criticism or a debate is forced on you, stop your interlocutor and ask him to formulate a question.
If you are asked an “either or” question, it does not mean that you have to choose between these two options. Answer as you see fit.
Use the same principle when you are asked to name 5 or 10 reasons for something. Name as many reasons as you think necessary, naming them as the main ones.
If you are asked a question with false information, correct the question and only then answer. Example of a question: “Have you already stopped taking bribes, and that’s why you can’t afford a vacation abroad?” Example answer: “I consider corruption in the country unacceptable. But I don’t vacation abroad, because I know a huge number of beautiful places in our country.”
They also often ask questions with a “hook” like: “Do you consider yourself an honest person?” or something like that. Don't answer this question literally. The answer “yes” will immediately raise the next question like: “So why then...”. It would be more correct to ask the interlocutor: “How would you answer this question.”
And finally, a question with an “unclean intention”: “Why do you think a person needs intelligence?” Consider this question a rhetorical one and ask your interlocutor: “Why did you ask this?”
Tip #8: Learn to answer aggressive questions correctly.
Any literal answer to such questions will be a losing proposition. In this tip, I will give examples of difficult questions and give examples of possible answers to them. And you can adapt this to suit yourself:
- Question: “Is it true that you are a drug addict?”
There is agreement and devaluation at work here.
Answer: “Yes, I am so much in love with my country that I could not live outside of it. In this case, I consider myself a drug addict.”
- Question: “Is it true that you are such a brute?”
Herea clear sign to fight back, so it's best to do it with dignity.
Answer: “Yes. And I improve thanks to people like you.”
- Question: “Have you already stopped swearing at your subordinates?”
It is necessary hererephrase the question.
Answer: “You want to ask how I communicate with my employees? We usually use email for corporate correspondence.”
- Question: “Can you assure me of this?”
It's best to translate everything into humor.
Answer: “You want me to swear on blood? Or did he eat the earth as a guarantee that he was right?”
Tip #9: Avoid an Indifferent Audience
Sometimes an indifferent audience is worse than an aggressive one. Try to periodically shock your audience with loud statements or illogical judgments. Of course, then taking everything into a logical direction. Communicate with the audience, ask questions. Add audience interaction with you. Ask to exchange business cards, look left and right, ask a neighbor a question, raise their left or right hand, and so on. Never ignore those who are indifferent. Look at them a little longer, pause, reach out to them.
Tip No. 9.5. The most important advice
No matter what happens, be yourself and maintain integrity. Your knowledge of the material will NEVER exceed your ability to behave with dignity, like a human being!
Good luck to you in achieving your goals.
And remember: “To achieve something in life, you need to start doing something!”
Are you often baffled by tactless or illiterate interlocutors? To save face, you need to follow a few simple rules.
How to correctly answer awkward questions. Photo: Lori.ru.
Have you ever had this situation? Imagine: a snowy winter evening, you are sitting in a wonderful company of close friends in a small warm cafe with several tables, New Year's garlands are hanging on the wooden windows, firewood is crackling in the fireplace not far from your table, a Christmas tree is flickering in the corner. The hot dish is eaten, the waiter brings tea/mulled wine/glass of wine, everyone leans back in their chairs and intimate conversations begin. And in this wonderful atmosphere, you begin to tell a touching story of meeting a stunning prince who is about to change your whole life. The story takes everyone to the warm shore of the Indian Ocean, everyone is holding their breath, catching your every word, you are already approaching the climax, and just at this very moment your “best” friend squeals: “Oh, Masha, your blouse is like at my daughter's nanny." Everyone turns to her at once. At first you can’t understand anything, and then the thought flashes with lightning speed: “You bastard! Has she gone completely crazy? Why did she do this? I hate it!”, the mood was spoiled, the magic and euphoria disappeared.
How many such strange, useless questions have we had in our lives that have baffled us and thrown us out of balance? And how to answer such questions? How to answer so as not to feel humiliated and insulted?
For several years, my colleagues and I visited the cities and villages of our vast Motherland, holding negotiations, meetings with business representatives, seminars, and conferences. And somehow, sitting in a restaurant in Magadan, killing time before departure, we began to remember the best and worst negotiations, memorable people, questions that we liked, which were interesting to answer and vice versa, as well as how we “wriggled out” , answering these questions.
So, after some time, using our existing analytical skills, fortunately everyone was negotiators, we came to the conclusion that, in fact, all issues can be divided into several categories:
- the first, I must say, the most pleasant, but small category - questions asked in order to find out or clarify something. How wonderful these questions are! You understand that they listened to you and realize that you are telling something interesting. At the same time, if you know the answer, then you will answer with great pleasure. What if you don't know? What to do in this case? Don’t say the words “I don’t know”, “I haven’t read”, “not my topic”, don’t make excuses for a gap in knowledge, but promise to answer a little later: “I’ll look at this and that and answer”, “very good question , I will consult and answer.” There is another option - confidently, believing in what you are saying, say “gag”, “fairy tale”.
- The second unique category of questions are questions that are asked with the sole purpose of attracting attention. It was the friend I talked about above who asked her question precisely for this reason. What to do with such people? For example, I would twirl flirtatiously and answer: “Really, I have a wonderful blouse?!” and immediately continued her story. You can, of course, hug your friend and say: “How I love you!” or, for example, say: “Oh, what a nanny you have!”, but in this case, attention may finally shift to a friend or “go” to another topic. These kinds of questions are also asked to “work off” one’s presence. For example, your partner, in order to justify his presence in front of the boss sitting next to him, asks a question, the answer to which could be gleaned from your last phrase. How can you refuse an answer? Of course, you need to put yourself in the position of such a “wonderful” person, praise him for the question and kindly repeat what was said.
the third category of questions is the most terrible, when a person is not at all interested in what you are talking about, and he just wants to humiliate you, to show his importance and superiority. A classic example of such questions: the child of a famous actor or director comes to a television program, and the presenter says to him: “But your dad at your age already received an Oscar, and you even graduated from school with bad marks - is this proof that nature is is the children resting?” Or one more example. A business meeting is about to begin. A partner comes in and, instead of greeting, says: “Well, your office is terrible, but who advised you to put up such wallpaper? How do you even work here?” What to do with these people? Be rude in response? Turn around and leave? Do not answer? But if you don’t answer, the mood will be ruined, and then different scenarios will arise in your head for a long time, how you could answer, and what could be done. I think there are several possible answers here. The first and, for example, for me, the easiest to say: “Yes, I completely agree with you, it’s a complete disgrace,” “you understand how hard it is for me, what should I do?”, “I don’t even know what to answer you to this.” You can turn to someone nearby and say ironically: “I feel like I’m being offended, do at least something.” There is another option - to turn everything into a joke, but here you already need to have a very stable nervous system.
As practice shows, the main rule is the ability to listen and hear your partner, as well as, of course, goodwill.
Elena Kushnirenko, graduate of the “Mastery of the Art of Speech” faculty of the Theater Institute named after. B. Shchukina, creative workshop "Intelligent"
...You are speaking to the audience, and suddenly a question comes from the audience:
- “Are you trying to sell us this?”
- “Just put it simply - you want our money!”
- "You want to cloud our brains?!"
- "Why are you deceiving us?!"
- "What you suggest doesn't work!"
- “What nonsense are you talking about?!”
You have prepared for your report/presentation. And the only thing that worries you is possible questions. Many speakers are afraid of questions from the audience and try to avoid them.
And if you are not ready for tough questions, you may get confused: you will start to mumble, have difficulty finding words, and demonstrate uncertainty.
- How to answer complex questions: nit-picking, objections, doubts, attacks, criticism, compromising evidence, accusations?
- How to be prepared for the most pressing and tricky questions, maintain a dialogue with the audience, and get out of difficult situations?
At the mini-training “Questions and Objections” we we will practice answering questions that usually they put you at a dead end, make you get lost, drive you into stupor and confusion.
Answers on questions is a multifaceted topic, and there are many ways to respond to them.
During these three hours, we will analyze and work on a technique that allows you to maintain your emotional state and neutralize negativity aimed at you or your presentation (product, service, topic, idea).
What will you and I accomplish in these 3 hours?
During the mini-training we will have time only for work.
Necessary minimum theory: Let’s look at a reaction technique that allows you to neutralize even tricky questions and maintain your emotional state. How to answer an uncomfortable question from the audience in such a way as to “save face” and not allow yourself to be drawn into an argument, a situation of mutual accusations and a verbal skirmish?
AND maximum time for practice- practicing techniques in exercises and answering questions.
By taking part in the mini-training, you will begin to learn answer questions easily, with passion and drive. And feel that it is much easier than you thought!
How many people are in the group?
In order for each participant to thoroughly work out how to respond to questions and objections, the group is limited to 12 participants.
100% money back guarantee
If you decide before the end of the first half of the mini-training (i.e. within 1.5 hours) that this is not what you need, that this mini-training is not suitable for you, or that you are not satisfied with anything else, we will refund money for you.