What are some techniques for answering questions in a concise and clear manner? (2024)

You can collect potential questions (good, bad and ugly) in a file and keep adding to it as you prepare your presentation/intervention. Asking colleagues and other experts in the field what questions they’ve been asked would add to this library. Along with the list, have 2 or 3 points for each question that help prompt your answer. You can also group questions into themes to help recall & keep your answers relevant.

Answering questions from the audience, especially at the end, could determine how well your presentation is perceived. Being concise and clear depends on how well you understand the question and the context in which it is asked. If the question is open/open-ended, it requires a complete response; it might help if you address or reframe the question to be more specific. Another way of interpreting the different questions is through an adaptive leadership approach, where we try to differentiate between technical and adaptive issues. Technical is straightforward, adaptive requires a more complex approach; therefore, you might respond through another question, like for example, "What do you understand when you I mentioned the word...",

Listening is essential. If you don't fully process the question, you will have a really hard time answering it. Don't be afraid to ask the person asking the question to ask it again if you didn't hear it or hear it fully the first time.

To ensure you’re truly listening don’t fall into the three traps of: selective, inattentive, and defensive listening. With selective listening you’re essentially highlighting just the parts you want to hear. Inattentive listening is what we all do when multitasking. Lastly, defensive listening is only listening to the things that reinforce your viewpoint. To effectively listen means that you give that person your undivided attention so you can then respond sincerely. Authentic listening and responding are the building blocks of great communication and relationships.

Another useful structure is STAR. SituationTaskResultAction Using this structure will keep you focused and ensure you include all the necessary information.

One thing I love to do while on panels, aside from always answering the question last, is to ackowledge the questioner by their name and GENUINELY compliment them or their question.People like to feel important, and they love to be recognized! I've found that asking someone in a gentle tone. "May I ask what your name is again? I want to make sure I pronounce it correctly." followed up by a compliment, will disarm both the questioner and the audience.It's a quick and honest way to build a safe space with your audience, and it gives you a little more time to think on your answer. I highly reccomend trying it out!(Unless, for some reason, you cant find anything about them to compliment. If it's not genuine the audience will know.)

Don’t rush to fill quiet space. Many people feel uncomfortable with silence between conversation, so we often begin to formulate our response before allowing the other person to finish their line of thought. Go ahead and let the person finish their entire question before starting to think of your response. Take a moment or two to think about how you’d like to respond before speaking. It may feel awkward at first, but with practice, you’ll find your interactions much more productive and positive as a result.

In situations where you cannot prepare, one way to answer questions concisely is to note the different parts to a question. People often have multiple questions in one question. Another way to answer concisely is to note HOW the person wants you to answer. Watch out for words like 'how' 'why' 'describe' etc.