How To Look Smarter Than You Really Are

 

One of the most interesting and productive times during a presentation occurs when you conclude your script and open the floor to questions. One of the best things about these Q and A sessions is that it gives you the opportunity to continue emphasizing and driving home your main points in personal, informal and creative ways. These sessions can be great opportunities for continuing to promote your message, or to solidify the buy-in of an important decision maker.

Of course, there are risks associated with going off your script, not the least of which is opening yourself up to questions for which you have no good answer. The possibility of finding yourself in such situations is fairly high; after all, it is impossible to know and prepare for every possible scenario. It is inevitable that someone will have a problem or be curious about something that is outside of your experience or area of expertise. When this happens, there is no need to panic. There is also no need to guess or fabricate an answer on the spot. Nothing could be more damaging to your credibility than to "wing it" and then be found out later! No, honesty is always the best policy in these situations; if you don’t know, you don’t know. However, there are several things you can do to respond in a friendly, respectful manner that can end up enhancing your credibility in the long run, even though you don’t have all the answers.

1. Do Your Homework

It is not a sign of weakness to admit you don’t have the answer ready at hand, especially if you promise to find the answer and provide it later. This is a very typical and accepted response when you can’t provide an adequate answer on the spot. However, if you take this approach, be sure you make it clear to the questioner and the audience that you are taking your promise seriously. Write the question down, clarify when you will have the answer, and make sure you have all the contact information you need to reach this person later. People appreciate personal service, and your credibility will only rise in the eyes of the entire group when you handle the situation in this manner.

2. Turn it into a Toss-up Question

This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to conceal your own ignorance! Explain the question for the whole group, and then say something like, "Now, who has dealt with a situation like this before? Do you have any suggestions?" Then just let people interact among themselves for a while. Be sure you restate the feedback you are hearing so that the whole group receives the benefit of the discussion. When it appears that all the important comments have been made, tie it all together with some observations of your own that can help reassert your control over the process, and then move on to the next question. The best part of this strategy is that you usually never have to admit that you don’t know the answer!

3. Clarify the Question

Sometimes the purpose or the need of your questioner might not be exactly clear, usually because it is overly broad. In such cases, you will probably need to ask a question or two of your own. Begin with something like, "I am not exactly sure how to answer you. Could you help me understand more about what you are trying to accomplish?" After your questioner explains more about why he is asking the question, you may be able to provide the information he needs. If not, you can always do some homework and follow up later.

4. Is There an Expert in the House?

Occasionally, you will receive a question that is completely out of your area of expertise. It is never a good idea, for numerous reasons, to offer opinions on topics if you are not qualified to discuss them. In such instances, defer to anyone in the group who is qualified to discuss the topic. If you already know of someone in the audience who has expertise in that field, don’t hesitate to say, "I don’t really have any training in that subject, but Carl has a license and two degrees in that area. Carl, what do you think?" Of course, it is always acceptable to poll the audience to find out if there is an expert present. If no expert is available, you know what that means: more homework for you.

5. But Here is What I Do Know

Sometimes you can get away with a partial answer. Suppose, during an industry-specific presentation, someone wants to know the date a law or regulation was enacted. Even if you don’t know the correct answer, you may be able to satisfy your questioner with an answer like this: "I am honestly not certain of the exact date, but I do know that it was already in effect as early as 2003, because I worked with a client on a compliance procedure during May and June of that year." If all the questioner needed was a date range, your answer may be quite satisfactory.

6. Preclude Certain Questions by Setting Good Boundaries

At the beginning of any presentation, it is often a good idea to lay down a few ground rules, especially if you are in a conference workshop setting where schedules are tight and inflexible. Let the audience know how much time you have to work with, what you hope to get accomplished, and the type of questions you will – and will not– be able to handle during the class period. If you intend to limit questions in any way, be sure to let the group know when and where they might be able to reach you following the workshop, in case they have questions for you that don’t fit the parameters you have defined for the class.

Remember, it is no embarrassment to admit you don’t have the answer. As long as you treat each question with care and respect, and you are willing to help the questioner find the answer that will help him the most, you will still be a hit with your audience.

 

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August Presentation Quick Tip – Leave a Paper Trail

With all the high tech gadgetry we have at our disposal these days, it is easy to over look a simple, old fashioned tool that still packs a lot of presentation power. To be specific, it is still a good idea to use hand-outs for your presentation. Yes, Power Points and videos are helpful – sometimes even entertaining. However, people can’t take the slides home with them, and if you are relying on your audience’s photographic memory to help them retain your main ideas, good luck with that. A hand out that contains your key points and a summary of your message is a still a great way to help you reinforce your message to the audience, help them remember it weeks later, and assist them in pushing that message beyond the circle of people who were actually present when you gave the presentation. Also, some people are kinesthetic learners, so they like holding things in their hands and interacting with them, which helps them learn and store your message more effectively.