All of us have had to sit through some sort of presentation; it may have been a class in college, maybe a training event in work, or a speaker we chose to attend. If the speaker is good the time will pass by quickly. But even a good presentation frequently comes to a grinding halt when opened up to questions. All too often this unofficial end to the presentation is too quiet to hear or too tangential to matter.
Fielding Questions Matters
This is the opportunity for your discussion to become a two way street, questions are the bait that move your audience from passivity to engagement. It reduces misunderstanding and allows you to learn which key points may not have made desired impact.
Questions are the most active learners will get with your material; this is the most personal response they can give you.
What’s a Good Fielder Like?
When you handle questions well it will seem as a natural extension of the training, lecture, or presentation. You will find people reengaging with your information at this point rather than disengaging. But how can this be done?
Whether you are in a 1-on-1, group, or large assembly situation, try to keep the following in mind:
1) Acknowledge those trying to get your attention. Use a head nod or quickly sketch for your audience the next 5 people you’ll call on. This allows people to listen to what is being said rather than focus on being heard.
2) Rephrase each question. This checks your own understanding and allows you to make sure everyone can hear.
3) Set up the answer. Begin with an introductory sentence giving the context to effectively understand the answer. This can be as simple as mentioning the main thought the question is referring to.
4) Validate the learner. If you find that other people have asked a similar question this particular person is, say that. If a specific issue is difficult, acknowledge it. This showcases your credibility and gives encouragement to your listeners.
5) Don’t lose sight of your topic. Occasionally questions will be asked that really do not relate to the learning goal. When this situation occurs, politely say ‘This is a good question but I’d like to ask your permission to address it offline (after, at break, etc), I’d like to keep questions focused on the material we’ve covered today’. Audiences especially appreciate this.
Whether you teach in classroom settings or simply have to work with people on an individual basis, every one of our jobs requires us to answer questions. Try some of these tips and see if they work for you.
What are effective ways you have seen people respond to questions after presentations? What do you enjoy hearing as an audience member?
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