Handling questions after an oral presentation (tough questions)

1. Handling questions after an
oral presentation (tough
questions)
Dr Joshua Chadwick MD MPH

2. Handling Q and A session
 Be honest (or you will loose your credibility/integrity)
 Brief: how brief ?
 Sentence: one sentence and add a period to your sentence
 Time < 40 seconds
 Inform your audience when your Q & A session is planned
 Anticipate questions ( 3 categories of a question)
1. Questions you expect and can definitely answer
2. Questions you would expect but would find it difficult to answer
3. Questions you wouldn’t want someone to ask and would find very difficult to answer

3. Rules of answering a question (CAP model)
 Thank the questioner (acknowledge their Concern)
 I understand your concern
 That’s a great question
 That’s an excellent question
 Action or Ask
 Perspective

4. Handling tough questions (1/2)
 Paraphrase? Uses?
 Repeats a question?
 As I mentioned earlier
 Perhaps I wasn’t clear about it
 A question which is not related to your topic?
 I am sorry you question is beyond the scope of the study
 I am sorry I can’t quite follow you
 I am sorry your question has no connection

5. Handling tough questions (2/2)
 Really a tough question?
 Don’t know (but not often)
 I am afraid that that is not my area of expertise. I would ask Dr/Mr B to clarify that
 I am sorry I don’t have information at (in) hand but I would be happy to forward
you the details, if you can give drop in an email (give your contact details)-
 Have backup slides 2-3

6. How to deal with
distractors/grandstander/interrupter?
 Grandstander: Statement- put it as a question (paraphrase)?
 Take the control of your floor and move on to next
 Machine gun questioner?
 Can you repeat the question
 Interrupter?
 Probably not enough information is provided
 You can ask the audience on opinion on this
 Ask the panelist to take the question
 I am not in a position to discuss about it right now
 I prefer not to comment about it at this moment (out of line Q or personal Q)

7. Closing the loop
 After answering the question
 Does that answer your question?
 Hope that answers your question?
Recommendation:
In the line of fire by Jerry Weissman

8. Thank you