6 ways your audience know that you don't know the answer to a question!
Darren Gibb
I teach coaches how to build 6-fig businesses on LinkedIn using content and conversion strategies | Ask about my CLOSE Framework | Stop listening to nonsense.
We’ve all been there when giving a presentation.
That moment when, no matter how well you know your presentation, you don’t know the answer to the question you have asked.
You suddenly feel unknowledgeable about your topic; you feel embarrassed and you start to trip over your words. Does this sound familiar?
The truth is you’re not alone – we have all been there!
If you do any of the following things when you don’t know an answer, then your audience also knows that you don’t know the answer.
Stop doing these now!
1. You ask them to repeat the question!
A few years ago, this was the standard way to ‘buy time’ to think of an answer. Unfortunately, everyone now uses this technique and it is so obvious to your audience that you don’t know the answer! Only ask them to repeat the question if you genuinely didn’t hear it!
2. You take a step backwards.
This is a natural response to make; it’s your body physically taking a step back from the audience – but be aware, this is another sign you don’t know the answer!
3. You say to them “good question!”.
This is one of the most common responses we give when we don’t know an answer to something. If you only really give this response when you don’t know the answer to a question, your audience will figure out you don’t know it.
4. You look to your left.
This is a subconscious response we give when we can’t remember something. Although this isn’t the worst response, it is a signal that you have forgotten the answer, which further makes you look unknowledgeable. Be careful to try and not do this!
5. You look to your right.
Another subconscious response that is even worse than looking to your left – this response actually tells us that you are making up an answer! Anyone who picks up on this immediately knows you are not being truthful. You’ve now lost their trust!
6. You look up and down.
Again, if you are looking up or down, you are intentionally breaking eye contact with your audience.. This is a huge mistake! When you break eye contact, your audience feels that you are hiding something from them.
Of course, it’s ok to say that you don’t know the answer to a question – but research tells us that if you say “I don’t know” more than three times, you have lost all credibility and trust with your audience.
At the same time, you obviously don’t want to lie to them! This is why you need a strategy to handle all questions asked and remain in control (and look knowledgeable!) during and after your presentation!
If you know that you make some of these errors, then feel free to send me a message on LinkedIn to find out how to stop doing this and what to do instead!
The results are astonishing when you know how to answer any question – it just an easy way that you begin to embrace questions and to massively increase trust and engagement with them.
If you know that you make any of the six errors I've listed above, I'd be happy to offer you a free 30-minute strategy session with me so that I can assess your current needs and offer you some free advice on your immediate next steps to delivering better, more engaging presentations!
Senior Product Manager | Hardware & Software | Driving Global Product Strategy & Growth
2 年Try to detect what the need is beneath the difficult question, to form an honest response to it. Staying calm allows to clearly articulate the response.
Passionate about Mobility and Road Passenger Transportation !!
3 年Thanks for sharing
Head of Human Resources (ADCAN Pharma), Managing Director Human Engineering Management Consultancies (HEMC) - HOPE GCC Director (Hope International Recruitment) - Holder of UAE Golden Visa , Author and Publisher
3 年Dear Darren, being on stage presenting to audience will require expertise and skills of managing the audience and the stage. Those skills shall reflect being confident of the topic and the content to deliver so you can avoid situation of not knowing the answers. you require to understand who are your audience their background, so you can be prepared for all type of question to answer and if not then, you just convey to the audience that it is noted and the answer will be given during the presentation, this technique will provide you with an opportunity to understand the question and align the answer. Listening skills is a must to any presenter, listening will reflect to the audience that you are giving attention to their inquiry sincerely and this by being close to the audience and always moving forward to them and not backward, this approach will also enhance the connection with them and empathy to you will be a gain so you can be comfortable to retrieve the thoughts and further this approach will eliminate the body signs or language for left and right , and this magic moment will eliminate their thought your credibility, and presenter shall always praise good question and also more of the engagement of audience so by the end of this my quote on how to win such situation is “crack their hearts ?? you win their brains” by Salama Maloul
Director creativo en Santander Digital Services | Más allá del Dise?o y la UX
3 年Very interesting, Darren. It's a tough situation, because in those moments you want to help with an answer, but unfortunately you don't have it. I agree that sincerity is the best option, yes