Three steps to take before you answer the question
July 8, 2008
From the earliest age we’re trained to answer questions - and as quickly as possible. But in many presenting situations, it’s not the best thing. We work with many organisations who are involved in community consultation. They may be presenting proposals for new projects that the community don’t want (for example, a new road or windfarm) or suggesting changes to a much-loved city square. That means presenting to highly-charged public meetings and handling emotional Q&A sessions.
In handling emotionally-charged questions, don’t rush to answer. Instead follow the Question Cycle. This is adapted from Jerry Weissman’s book In the line of Fire. It’s an excellent book on handling Q&A, but most of his examples come from IPO presentations (when companies present to potential investors prior to launching on the stock exchange) and presidential campaign debates. His methodology requires a little adaptation for dealing with the more emotional situations of community consultation.
Here’s my adaptation of the Question Cycle:
