“Involving the audience is a delicate thing. They came to see you do your work, yet they want their voice heard too.”
David Beckett (presentation coach)
2.12 How to manage a Q&A session
In general, it’s good to build in time for questions, but as with the previous chapter, it’s another situation that can go terribly wrong if you’re not properly prepared. Here are a few tools to help you stay in control.
Someone asks a question which is very negative.
Don’t defend. Acknowledge the comment and focus on the positives of your message. If the questioner insists on responding negatively again (which happens in few cases) suggest you take the subject for discussion during coffee, and make sure you do. The person may just have a very valid point that you missed, which you can address in your next presentation.
An audience member talks and talks and talks...
Stay calm, let them have their say and think about your answer – which ideally should be very short – while they are speaking. If they ask three questions in one, answer one of the questions, and if pressed for time, recommend to discuss the other two later or by email.
Don’t say, “Good question”.
They are all good questions because somebody having the nerve to speak up is already a good contribution to your meeting. Say, “thanks for your question” or something similar, to every question raised.