the Q&A is your moment of truth at the end of your presentation
how you handle unexpected questions in front of a live audience
in person or virtually can literally make or break your credibility
how can you answer questions effectively what if the question is confrontational
and what if you don't know the answer in this video you will get five key tips to
nail your next Q&A and have your audience looking at you as
the authority on your topic hey i'm Riaz welcome to
the Every Conversation Counts platform this is the channel that helps leaders
coaches and content experts to connect every time you present if you're looking
to maximize your authentic impact subscribe to this channel and hit the
bell for the heads up when new content is released weekly now you can prepare
all you want and then ace your presentation but it's the end
that creates a common fear and that fear is the
unknown that comes with the q a more so now in virtual meetings
what if you're asked a tough question and your mind goes blank
it's a common problem and research has proven that when we're not sure how to
respond that feeling is interpreted as a threat
by our brains this leads to a fight-or-flight response
that blocks the creative thinking needed to deliver a clear and confident
answer the key is to remember that questions
are a great sign of engagement and interest in your content
instead of fearing the unpredictability this video
will give you the confidence you need with impromptu questions that will help
you shine in front of your clients customers and
co-workers if you want to own the room during your
next q a consider these five ideas number one the
three-point play once you've listened clarified and
understood the question how do you actually answer it
effectively a simple three-point play for you is this
what's your point what's your proof what's your practical takeaway
what's your point you want to state your opinion or perspective in a quick
sentence or two then with your proof be ready to back it
up with examples or stories that support your argument
and then finally the takeaway you want to deliver something specific in terms
of an idea that emphasizes your point that will help your audience
remember it now you can practice this idea beforehand by brainstorming
questions you anticipate people are going to ask you
now here's an example earlier this year pre cobit i was presenting at a showcase
for creative mornings vancouver here's a look at the three-point play in
action and my question is do you have a favorite question
to ask people when you're just starting to connect with them
at the beginning of an interview yeah you know beginning of an interview
or just beginning of any conversation that you meet somebody with
i just like to go back to the basics in the space of
what's on your mind like if you look at facebook what's the question they ask
you when they want you to post what's on your mind because instead of a guessing
game of what is the priority especially like if you're in a scenario
where you're networking and you're like oh i hate small talk
if you just pause and you're with somebody and you're like hey
so what's on your mind they're going to tell you the priorities that are
occupying the space so it is not a guessing game
so if it's ever been a guest if i'm in the green room
i know the questions i want to ask and the stories i want to draw but the first
thing i'll ask is hey so what's on your mind what's going
on and the stuff they give me is actually new fresh and then i'll just
reinvent the interview before we do it because they've given me something
i i think the thing that i learned is i try not to ask people the questions that
you can find on google instead do a deep dive of okay we know
about that but what does this mean uh how is this
impacting you so you keep it fresh for the person but
as a starting point what's on your mind now how weird is it to see all of these
people together in one room hopefully we'll be able to get to do that again
soon number two focus on what you can agree
on sometimes you're faced with people who
disagree with your point of view in order to
turn that potential confrontation into a collaboration
focus on what you can agree on relationship is the foundation
for productive dialogue and the key here is to find common ground
first to defuse any potential tension now game theorist anatol rappaport
shared a strong framework to handle these types of situations to recap their
perspective that's number one you could say if i'm understanding your
take you feel and then once you've recapped
that share the common ground now we both
think that and then fill in the blank then identify
the difference of opinion with the one area where we have different
perspectives is and then finally share your proof the reason i believe
this is this approach is valuable for one key
reason you are acknowledging the other person's point of view
first and making that person feel heard when you do that it will be easier to
have a productive back and forth and encourage them to be open to new ideas
or perspectives number three build your story inventory document
stories that are good examples of personal transformations that evoke
emotion and connect with your listeners for each
point you make have a persuasive story to back up your
stance and you can prepare for this by writing
down a good six to ten personal or inspirational stories you
can draw from and reference when responding in the q a number four
answer the question literally answer the question having interviewed countless
subjects as a television host the number one mistake i see
interviewees and presenters make is that they don't answer the question a
lot of the time people are so distracted by their own nerves
they don't fully listen to the question being asked or possibly
have their own hidden agendas and end up rambling on several tangents that failed
to address the point of interest acknowledge the
person asking the question pause reflect on it ask for
clarification if you need it as it's really important to ensure you
understand what's being asked first then share your insights if it looks and
sounds like you're dodging the question your credibility will be questioned
bonus tip if the question is ambiguous confirm you've answered
what was being asked seasoned speakers recognize they are
there to serve it's important to share your answer then confirm with the person
does that answer your question number five
show them it's a good question when someone asks you something you're unsure
about instead of saying that's a really good question which
let's be honest is a stall tactic and can
alienate other audience members that don't get the same response
instead just pause your confidence to pause and reflect
after a question shows them you're taking time to reflect
on what they just asked you and can even build anticipation for the
insights you are about to share sometimes we get caught in the trap of
trying to answer as quickly as possible and the only thing that comes out of our
mouths are those dreaded filler words
if you really do like their question be specific about why you think this is an
important point to cover rather than a generic that's a great
question comment with a strategic approach the q a can
become an enjoyable and powerful experience for you
brainstorm the questions you think might be asked
prepare your three-point plays then think about the key stories to share and
most importantly think about what your audience
needs right now questions are a great sign of interest in your content and if
you prepare for the unexpected your credibility will benefit from your
efforts in the end if you don't know the answer be honest
about it get back to them and build that
relationship offline now what do you fear most about the q a
and share your best tips that help you thrive in the unknown for more ideas on
how to connect with others you can download the free guide the five secrets
to making every conversation count that link is in the description thanks
for watching this video if you want to project confidence when you present or
captivate your audience when speaking virtually
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we'll see you in the next video