The Art and Skills of Rephrasing Questions

By: Carla ávila & Copie Harris

Presenting your authentic self: answering questions most effectively. This is part one–how to rephrase a question so you answer the theme behind the question, rather than getting distracted by the words or attitude of your questioner.

We’ve all been in a meeting or at a large conference when we’ve been frustrated by a speaker who doesn’t repeat or rephrase questions. This oversight is a mistake that even experienced presenters make, especially when the audience members are brought microphones.  

Remember that the Q & A session is one that many audience members look forward to. It’s their chance to test and take away more from your presentation. Remember too that a questioning audience is an engaged audience. A quiet audience is scary; you don’t know what they’re thinking.

Tip #1: Repeat or rephrase every question you receive in a large group

In a small group, repeating or rephrasing every question isn’t always necessary. In a large group, it’s essential. And on the phone and during conference calls, it’s important, too. 

Why repeat or rephrase? Repeating the question asked ensures that the entire audience has heard it. Repeating a question word for word is fine when the question is simply a request for more information.  

Rephrasing a question allows you to answer the question without the encumbrances of tone and language. For instance, if someone yells out, “Why the hell did you make this decision?” you most likely don’t want to say, “Why the hell DID we make this decision?” though that approach might work in some circumstances. You also don’t want to become angry with the questioner and alienate your audience.  

A good rephrasing of “Why the hell did you make this decision?” might be “What prompted us to make this decision?” or “What was our reasoning behind this decision?”  

Rephrasing is also effective when an audience member is very wordy. Carla and Copie have noticed that some questioners actually lecture instead of asking a question. In that case, we recommend that you interrupt the questioner, using a verbal signpost such as, “Ahh, I hear your question,” and then rephrase. Alternatively, if you can’t figure out what in heaven’s name the questioner is asking, you can interrupt and say, “Could you restate your question?” Usually, this forces your long-winded questioner to ask a brief question.

Tip #2: Start your rephrase with an interrogatory 

Use where, when, how much, who, what...and the phrase that will frequently save you: when in doubt, use what about. Remember, you’re rephrasing to make sure that you answer the actual question asked; you’re not inventing an entirely new question. A big “DON’T”: don’t say, “Good question.” Speakers invariably say “good question” when the question is hostile or is one that they’ve dreaded receiving. And what if you say, “good question” to one audience member but then not to the next questioner? Was the second questioner’s question bad? Our clients have also told us that they find “good question” to be patronizing. Instead, begin with an interrogatory such as those above. (In a future web or podcast, we’ll discuss where you should look when you repeat, rephrase and answer your questions.)

Tip #3: Write the questions down

If you are in a position to write while presenting, write down the questions you receive. It’s a sign that you take questions seriously. It also helps you organize your thoughts to answer, especially if you’ve received a multi-part question. Then we suggest you keep a running list of questions for your next presentation. If you can’t write them down as they are being asked, write them down as soon as you finish your chat. Carla learned this from a portfolio manager who was very good at asking questions and who liked to learn from what others found interesting.

True Story

Copie was very enthusiastically looking forward to hearing a renowned author discuss an informative book that Copie had read. After a challenging lecture, where the author spoke too softly much of the time, the question and answer session began. The author never repeated or rephrased any questions, and she lost her entire audience’s attention.  

Carla has been at many meetings where audience members call out, “Repeat the question!” and yet most speakers often fail to do so even when their audience is begging them to repeat or rephrase. 

After repeating or rephrasing, you can take the opportunity to answer the question. And after answering, you may want to pause briefly, smile and then add a form of evidence to illustrate your point. One form of evidence is a short story or personal experience, another is an analogy. There are eight classic forms of evidence, and we recommend that you study your audience in advance to know what type of evidence may resonate best with them. (We’ll expand upon evidence and answering questions in a future podcast.)

Carla also likes to thank the questioner for bringing up a subject that has reminded her of a story. It can be a positive way to end a question and continue with the next, or you can thank everyone for listening to you that day, and you can end the question and answer session.  

Summary: Always repeat or rephrase every question asked when you’re presenting to a large group, on the phone, or on a conference call. Start with a who, what, where, when, why, or what about, rather than using the often untrue filler “Good question.” This approach will ensure that everyone can hear the question, and most importantly, that you answer the question asked, rather than getting distracted by the questioner’s tone or language. Lastly, write down the questions you receive, for future reference.

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