Iese, the Spanish business school, has just published a list of 10 tips for handling audience questions after a presentation. Here are five of the best:

1. Don’t rush answers. Make sure that you understand the question. Wait 10 seconds before you begin to answer.
2. Address the whole audience. Do not just direct your answer to the person who has asked the question.
3. Deflect misconceived questions. You could tactfully say, for example, “I would consider the question from a different angle.”
4. Convert a negative question into a positive answer. Do not reiterate the negative aspect in your reply.
5. Always try to keep the situation under control. You have the right not to answer certain questions, provided that you decline with tact and courtesy.

It is worth clicking through to the original article for a brief description of Aristotle’s views on rhetoric, as well as some other general public speaking tips, such as not letting the introduction and conclusion exceed 10-15 per cent of the presentation.

July 15, 2008 5:09pm in B-schools | Comment