How can you improve Q&A sessions during a presentation? (2024)

Key takeaways from this article

• Interactive tools:

  Incorporating live polls and quizzes during Q&A sessions can transform the atmosphere from passive to interactive. It's a way to turn your audience into active participants, making the session more memorable and engaging for everyone.

• Visual aids:

  Utilize a dry erase board to jot down questions as they come. This helps in making sure no query goes unanswered and caters to visual learners, ensuring that the whole audience can follow along with the discussion.

This summary is powered by AI and these experts

• Akriti Arora Project Management | Event Management |…
• John Sceals Business Development Champion | Client…

• Akriti Arora Project Management | Event Management | LinkedIn Strategy | Public Relations | Communications | Research | Strategic Planning | Content and Promotional Materials Development

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  Cultivate engaging Q&A sessions by infusing curiosity and interactivity. Integrate live polls and interactive quizzes, allowing your audience to actively participate. This approach transforms passive listeners into engaged contributors, creating a memorable and enriching experience for everyone involved.

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• Alexa S. Chilcutt, Ph.D. Executive Education Faculty, SME in Executive Presence and Business Presentation/Public Speaking Skills, Author, Executive Coach

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  One exercise I've found helpful is to think of two questions you are most likely to receive and two questions you hope no one asks. The first set of questions might be explaining or expounding on information the audience is interested in that you didn't have time to present. The second set could include difficult or potential adversarial questions based on your audience's primed responses to the topic or a specific piece of information. By preparing and practicing your answers in advance, you decrease the uncertainty surrounding your Q & A session. Finally, recognize that you cannot predict all questions and you are not the "Sage on the stage". It's okay to not know and express that you are willing to find or research an answer.

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• Subhabrata Mukhopadhyay Deputy Editor Physical Chemistry, Wiley; Previous position: Scientist: RISE-Processum, Postdoc: Uppsala Univ, Sweden; BGU-Israel, MSCA Fellowship, PhD: UOH-India, organoelectrosynthesis, CO2, membrane, MOF, fuel cell

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  The primary key is guiding the audience towards meaningful inquiries – there are no universally 'right' questions, but ones we favour answering. Leaving some open threads in your talk can pique interest and stimulate those preferred queries.Secondly, ensure your presentation wraps up with ample time for Q&A.Adapt your presentation to suit your audience, with over half understanding more than half of the content, fostering the likelihood of pertinent questions.Utilize data to tell the story, not the other way around.Lastly, exude confidence without tipping into overconfidence.

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• Majid AlKhulaify Exeter MBA | Senior Business Developer at Saudi Aramco

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  One helpful practice to improve Q&A sessions is to encourage participants to submit their questions in advance. This allows the speaker or panel to prepare thoughtful and well-researched responses, leading to more insightful discussions. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to identify common themes or concerns, enabling the speaker to address them proactively during the session. By incorporating this practice, attendees can benefit from more comprehensive and tailored answers, promoting a more engaging and productive Q&A experience.

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• (edited)

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  Preparing in advance is absolutely necessary. However, that doesn't mean anticipating questions and preparing your answers. To me, advance preparation means preparing your own presentation, keeping the audience in mind while preparing the presentation, and knowing very well what you are talking about. Given this, there's lots to enjoy, learn, share, and nothing to worry about Q&A.

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• Jon Torrens Introverted communication coach, confidence upgrader, host and TEDx speaker. Former stand-up comic and video game designer, delivering transformative training to create successful, confident communicators. Ukie member.

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  If a question is too long - or even worse, is simply a rambling statement - it can drain the event's momentum. Make it clear that questions should be short so that more people can ask them. Let the audience know that there isn't much time (even if there is) to keep things moving.

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• Helen von Dadelszen

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  By setting the ground rules you also give yourself permission to follow up on them and retain control. For example, if you’ve said audience members should keep their questions to under 1 minute or that you can only ask 1 question, you can then politely stop the audience member if they go over their time or want to ask another question.

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• Shrey Malik LinkedIn Top Voice | Technical Project Manager

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  Establishing ground rules is akin to laying a structured path. For instance, at the start of a webinar, you inform your audience about the Q&A format: how long it will last, the preferred question format, and when to ask. By setting expectations, you create an organized, respectful, and engaging atmosphere. Encouraging questions throughout ensures active participation and maintains audience interest. This approach leads to more efficient Q&A sessions where the audience feels informed and respected, contributing to a productive and interactive discussion.

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  I always encourage questions as the presentation progresses. It helps to keep the questions relevant. Also helps me to answer better by using the current slide if needed.

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• Dr. Vishnu Syam Business Lecturer | Consultant-Sustainability communications|Business Strategy | Data-Driven Brand Analytics (Qualitative) |Entrepreneurship |Marketing

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  When setting the ground rules for your Q&A session, remember that preparing well-structured questions is a proactive strategy by providing chits or sticky notes to encourage engagement. Encourage your audience to ask clear and concise questions that is well connected with the scope of the session . This promotes more thoughtful responses and leads to meaningful discussions. Clarity in questions helps streamline the session and ensures that everyone's time is well spent respecting all the attendees.

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• John Sceals Business Development Champion | Client Relationship Expert | Driving Remarkable Growth | Optimizing Operational Strategies | Serve to Lead

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  Use a dry erase board and restate the questions on the board so nothing is missed in responding to questions and the answers are visible to the audience. Many people are visual rather than good listeners. Make it easy for everyone.

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• Eric Rodgers, MA, LPC, NCC, CMAC, BC-TMH, GCDF, BCC Speaker | Therapist | Coach | Mental Health Advocate

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  Ensuring that you understand the question is critical and often undervalued in Q&A sessions. It is not uncommon for a facilitator to spend several minutes answering a question that wasn't asked. One potential cause for this mistake is when the facilitator hears the initial words of a question and makes an assumption of what is being asked. Listening actively, is hearing the question fully and generating a mental and verbal response only after the question has been asked. Practice controlling the mental clutter so you can listen and respond appropriately.

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• Alexa S. Chilcutt, Ph.D. Executive Education Faculty, SME in Executive Presence and Business Presentation/Public Speaking Skills, Author, Executive Coach

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  Not only does paraphrasing or repeating the question help you to understand, clarify the question if needed, and build rapport, it also gives you a moment in time to decide how to open your response.

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• Nicholas Vogel Educator, Communications and Training Specialist, Data Enthusiast.

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  Listen actively, but don't fake it. People can tell when a disingenuous, "Thank you for that question!" et. al. is said.Don't be afraid to bounce the question back to the audience, especially when the answer should be apparent. It will highlight those that understand, encourage them to help those who don't, and help everyone engage in the topic.

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• Yasin Amar

  (edited)

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  Building rapport with your audience is a sure way to increase engagement and encourage people to get involved.This can be done both by focusing on your verbal, but also non-verbal communication. If you are actively showing your audience that you are interested in hearing their questions or insights, and thanking them for getting involved, this is a great way to boost participation. You can show that you are actively listening by referring to an attendee who asked a question when answering another one, or repeating elements of the question in your answer.

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• Alana Variano Principal Product Manager @ LinkedIn 👩💻 | Board Member 🍊 | GenAI Nerd 🤓

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  One tip I learned later in my career is that it's OK to ask a follow up question during a Q&A to gain a stronger understanding of what the asker is seeking to learn. This helps both the asker + the answerer to find the right value exchange from the Q&A. You may not be able to always do this- but in situations where you really need to better understand the question, try it out!

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• Helen von Dadelszen

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  For situational or example-related questions, using the CAR* or STAR** format can help you structure your answer in a way that easier to follow and touches on all the points that you need to. * Context - Action - Results** Situation - Task - Action - Results

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• Safwan Sulaiman Training Officer at Dnata (Etihad Airways Contact centre)

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  Focus on agreement when you’re asked a question, especially one that might be contentious, start your answer by focusing on where you and the person asking it agree. Be concise and keep your answers brief and to the point. Be honest if you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s okay to say so. End on a positive note always try to end your response on a positive note, even if the question was difficult or contentious.

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• Dr. Vishnu Syam Business Lecturer | Consultant-Sustainability communications|Business Strategy | Data-Driven Brand Analytics (Qualitative) |Entrepreneurship |Marketing

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  Recognising the significance of demographic factors is a thoughtful practice when answering questions. Tailoring your responses to align with the audience's background is essential. This approach ensures that your answers are not only inclusive but also relevant. It creates a more relatable connection between your content and your diverse audience.

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• (edited)

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  This part of the question and answer session is critical, so being calm, analyzing the questions, and giving a strategic answer that reinforces the main thesis of the presentation allows you to reinforce the audience's mastery of the topic and builds confidence in the subject you are addressing. Remember that if you do not know the answer you should clearly state it and you could ask the audience to contribute if they know the answer.

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• Alexa S. Chilcutt, Ph.D. Executive Education Faculty, SME in Executive Presence and Business Presentation/Public Speaking Skills, Author, Executive Coach

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  I love the "ask the audience" as the public speaking version of "phone a friend". This can be incredibly helpful when you are lost as to how to respond. And, it allows those in the audience with experience to share and shine for a moment!

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• Jon Torrens Introverted communication coach, confidence upgrader, host and TEDx speaker. Former stand-up comic and video game designer, delivering transformative training to create successful, confident communicators. Ukie member.

  (edited)

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  Do a callback! Mention what a member of the audience said earlier in one of your answers. This shows that: - you were listening. - you value their opinion.- you have no ego.These all make you look good (and are virtuous, too, obviously.) :)

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• Dr Christiaan Willems Loathe Presenting? Get to LOVE it!I help Business Owners, Executives & Leaders get Comfortable, Confident & Credible - on Camera; on Stage; Online.

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  Yes the sharing of wisdom by inviting the audience into the discussion is a very powerful means of engaging that audience, rather than simply talking 'at' them. You may be the expert in the room, but sharing the expertise around and from the room, immediately lets the audience know that they are respected professional colleagues and peers, rather than 'just an audience'.

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• Mahmoud Kashef HR | Global Freelancer Recruiter (Middle East) | Recruiting, Interviewing Techniques | Human resources | acquisition | HR coordinator | HR specialist | HR manager | HR consultant | director | team leader | Talent jobs

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  Allow for diverse perspectives: Encourage participants to ask questions that represent diverse viewpoints. This fosters inclusivity and promotes a well-rounded discussion.

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• Shivam Gupta Product Manager | Driving Product Innovation | Artificial Intelligence (AI) | NLP | Lean Management | Six Sigma Black Belt | SAAS | Generative AI | Product Development

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  Engaging teams as a manager requires a multi-pronged approach. Start with a compelling story, use photos and live demonstrations, invite feedback, and share success stories. Use data-driven insights to connect your product to business goals, proactively address concerns, and encourage active dialogue. Emphasize user-centered planning, set clear goals, use technology for communication, empower stakeholders, encourage collaboration, streamline communication, and close it with an actionable background. Taking a step back and asking questions in between would let the audience engage in your presentation as well.

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• Parul Batra Head of Program | LinkedIn Top 1% PM Voice | Forbes Technology Council | 2024 Stevie Women of the Year Awardee | Mentor | Judge | Speaker

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  In my experience, when asked a question its better to be:❓🙋🏻1. Straightforward and concise else you start to lose audiences interest ➡️2. Be honest, if there is a question you do not have an answer to, just let the audience know you that and that you will follow up or share right POC who can answer. Don’t try to makeup a response or leave the audience hanging 💫

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  One issue I regularly see with Q&As is people wanting to ask very specific questions based on their unique set of circ*mstances - which if the Q&A is done verbally can eat up a lot of time. I strongly encourage the pre submission of questions so that someone can vet them prior and to think about which question would provide a broad opportunity for the audience to learn from. Questions submitted via QR code or Confernce technology allow the host to see what themes are coming through and ask in a generalised nature for better application of information sharing. If you are on a panel or group discussion consider your language choices and remember to be inclusive in words.

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• Dave Drachenberg Product Management

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  As a result of the pandemic, I experienced presenting exclusively online. This change led to some experimentation. I had a partner who could monitor the chat feed and insert his questions. This allowed me to focus on the presentation while he could insert questions of his own and verbally jump into the dialog. This led to an engaging experience. Later, with Hybrid, our organization tried chat tools where polls could be presented during a prez. I loved this because it ensured participation and forced thinking. I cannot imagine how effective I could be trying to do both, nor imagine why any presenter should. Increasing collaboration between a presenter and the audience starts with collaboration at the presenter level.

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  Questions are not only for you - sometimes they can be directed to audiences (listeners), and discussion can be much more interesting. In fact, consider the main point to be observed.

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• Helen von Dadelszen

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  One way to mix things up and ensure you don’t “lose” the audience during a Q&A is to not leave it until the end. By opening up for questions at strategic points in your presentation, they’re likely to be more focused and relevant on what content you’ve already covered. This also allows you to adjust the rest of your presentation if you hear a particular concern or see that you need to dive deeper or avoid certain subjects. The best reason to not put the Q&A at the end is so that you get the final word. Instead of the session finishing with you answering an irrelevant or side question or a question that you don’t have “the best” answer for, you can end with your keep message and take away for the audience.

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