Here's how you can navigate difficult questions during a speech.

Firstly, I think it is important to stay calm and stay confident in yourself when faced with a difficult question during a speech. When asked the question, don’t panic but take a moment to think about how you want to respond. Staying calm and taking a moment to think will also allow you to think with more clarity. If you are still unsure, you can always ask the person to rephrase or repeat the question. This can allow you to give a response which is succinct, clear and fully addresses the person’s question.

Maintaining composure when faced with tough questions is paramount in any professional setting. It's not just about answering the question; it's about how you handle the situation. Acknowledging the question respectfully buys you time to gather your thoughts and respond effectively. Non-verbal cues, like body language, play a significant role in communication. By staying open and composed, you convey confidence and approachability, which can defuse tension and keep the audience engaged. Remember, how you handle tough questions can leave a lasting impression on your audience, showcasing your professionalism and expertise.

Staying calm under each and every situation can do wonders and thus, staying calm when facing a tough question is not an exception. Even if you feel that question is tough, don't let that thing reflect on your face via your expressions. Complement the person asking such question for his question and its quality as this would help you to think and compose your thoughts to find answer to that question. Even if you will answer such a tough question with a smiling face, it will help you to build trust of your audience as well as they would start respecting your professionalism then.

Absolutely, active listening is an essential skill when addressing challenging questions. It demonstrates respect for the questioner and allows you to fully comprehend the complexities of their inquiry. Rushing to formulate a response without truly understanding the question can lead to misunderstandings or incomplete answers. By attentively listening, you not only gather all the necessary information but also show empathy and a genuine interest in addressing the questioner's concerns comprehensively. This approach fosters trust and facilitates more meaningful dialogue, ultimately leading to more effective communication and problem-solving.

It is assumed that we, public speakers are just good at speaking, but prove this statement wrong by effectively showcasing your listening skills by listening to the question fully and calmly:) If you will interrupt in between it will reflect you as an impatient person or might reflect that you are underconfident about the question and thus, interrupting in between. Listening fully is important as many a times, what perception we make of the question in the beginning is completely changed while the interviewer move to the end of question and it may happen that question that was sounding tough initially may sound to be easy towards the end.

One way to ensure that you listened to the question is you repeat the question out loud in your own words, summarizing the issue and confirming with the person who asked the question the accuracy. That can help the rest of the audience understand the question and hence your reply.

Absolutely, asking for clarification is a smart strategy when confronted with complex or ambiguous questions. It demonstrates your commitment to understanding the question fully and ensures that you provide an accurate and relevant response. By seeking clarification, you not only clarify the questioner's intent but also buy yourself valuable time to formulate a thoughtful response. Additionally, it can foster a collaborative dialogue, allowing both parties to engage in a more meaningful exchange of ideas. This approach not only helps you address the immediate question but also promotes clarity and mutual understanding, leading to more productive interactions overall.

Sometimes you get multilayered questions from a single person where there are 4 questions one after the other, and it's not feasible to answer them all. In this case, I'm asking the person to focus his or her doubts on one coherent issue. Either way, I'm not engaging in more than 2 questions per person. I assist in guiding questions, where most of the scattered "issues" can be summarized into 1-2 main questions/topics. Once answered, make sure: "Did I answer your questions or do you need more clarifications?"

There are 2 main replies to a moment in which you don't know the answer to: 1. "I haven't got the chance to investigate this matter and I would like to check this one out, and I'll get back to you soon. Leave your contacts with my team." 2. "As you learn from me, I also learn from you. Allow me to get back to you with a proper response, once I get into this subject. I will deliver a reply only after I study it."

Examples substantiate your claim. Keep them of real life or of stories everyone knows and your audience will completely believe you. Examples help in establishing credibility that what you are saying is not just out of thin air, it has a depth to it. People will remember you for this. Concept - People lose money all the time. Example - 90% of people faced loss in F&O share markets.