Start Strong, End Stronger: Facilitate Q&A Smoothly

What an absolute honor to contribute to this organization’s Leadership Institute at the beautiful Faulkner in downtown Jackson, Mississippi, yesterday. Check out the beautiful wallpaper in the background.

Our main focus of the day during our No-Panic Presentation Skills session was on closing clunkers. We talked about the importance of starting strong and ending stronger. One approach to accomplishing a strong presentation closing is NOT ending with Q&A. The opportunity to ask questions should be the next-to-last component of your presentation but not your last words.

Use this approach to facilitate Q&A smoothly:

After the last main point, provide a transition to open the floor for questions
Repeat the question so everyone in the room can hear and understand what was asked
Answer the question truthfully and to your best ability; if you don’t know, you don’t know, and that’s an okay answer
Watch the clock
Say you have time for one final question
After answering the last question, conclude with your final prepared remarks

To customize a keynote or professional development session that will have your audience laughing and learning, contact Mandi Stanley.

Certified Speaking Professional Mandi Stanley works with business leaders who want to boost their professional image by becoming better speakers and writers through interactive high-content keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, technical writing seminars, and fun proofreading classes.

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