At the start of your presentation, you should make it clear whether and when you would prefer to deal with questions - as you go along or at the end of the presentation.
Some speakers prefer questions to be raised as they arise during the presentation. The advantage of this approach is that any misunderstandings can be dealt with as they immediately. However, there is also a danger that the question will disrupt or distract the speaker, or that questions are raised that would have been covered next within the presentation.
Other speakers prefer to deal with questions at the end of the presentation. If you prefer this approach, ensure that you set aside sufficient time for questions but also limit the amount of time available. The amount of time will depend on the type of presentation you are giving but usually 10 minutes of question time should be sufficient.
You should not close the presentation with the question and answer session. When you have finished answering questions, make sure that you have the last word with a strong assertion of your main message(s). In other words, you can thank the audience for their questions and then summarise once again the main point or points that your presentation was designed to communicate.
Answering Questions
Treat your audience with the respect you would like to have shown to you. Answer their questions directly and honestly.
Listen carefully to any question and, if the audience is large, repeat it to ensure everyone in the audience has heard. Answer briefly and to the point.
If you do not know an answer then say so and offer to find out and ensure that you do so. “I don’t know” is a very acceptable answer to some difficult questions and it is much more acceptable than stumbling through an answer or making something up.
Relax and do not feel as if you do have to know everything.
If you are asked a question and you feel you should know the answer, consider saying: “Thank you. That’s a very interesting question. Can I get back to you on that, after I’ve spoken to (whomever)?”
Questions can be neutral, friendly or hostile. If a question is provocative, answer it directly. Never be rude to the questioner or show you are upset. Do not compromise yourself but maintain your point of view and never lose your temper. This tactic can be difficult to maintain but the key is being assertive.
Source: SkillsYouNeed.com
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