In the blog last week, we covered the importance of active listening. This week, the last in our series on presentations, we shall explore the topic of how to respond sensitively to comments and questions from the audience.
Planning to respond to questions from the audience
Often the most important and demanding stage of any presentation is responding to questions from the audience. Therefore, brainstorming predictable questions and carefully considering appropriate responses is an essential component of the planning process of any successful presentation.
There are several ways to manage the process of responding to comments and questions from the audience. However, at the outset of the presentation make sure that it is made very clear whether the audience can ask questions at any time or only at the end. There is no rule about this, but taking questions at any time requires confidence with the subject matter and can also disrupt the time management plan.
Positive actions when responding to comments or questions
Paraphrase the question if it seems complex to ensure you fully understand the point.
Pause before you respond to give yourself time to think.
Respond directly if you do not know the answer to a question.
Resist making up or guessing the answer.
Pass difficult questions back to the questioner and/or the audience.
Avoid engaging with aggressive members but do acknowledge and respect their feelings.
Focus objectively on the question, not the personality or tone of the questioner.
Control any display of emotion but demonstrate your emotional intelligence.
Minimise jokes unless you know the person and/or the audience.
Manage body language and try to avoid repetitive non-verbal utterances.
Express assertiveness, but never aggression.
Conclude after the Q & A with a positive closing statement about the topic.
Question 1
What is the meaning of emotional intelligence and how can this be demonstrated?
Question 2
Why is it important to think carefully before joking, especially with a cross-cultural audience?
Question 3
How might the cultural context of the audience influence their behaviour?
Next week we will begin a new series on organisational culture that will include a focus on variations across a range of cross-cultural contexts.
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