Thinkabara

🎤 Presentation Skills · Lesson 6 of 7

Q&A and tough questions

Google Classroom

Prepare likely questions, answer clearly and say “I don’t know” well.

Prepare

List the 5 questions you’d least like to be asked, and prepare answers. Make backup slides with extra data after your final slide — great for showing you anticipated a question.

Answering

  1. Listen to the whole question; don’t interrupt
  2. Repeat or rephrase it so everyone hears it (and you get thinking time)
  3. Answer briefly and directly — then stop
  4. Check: “Does that answer your question?”

When you don’t know

Say so honestly: “That’s a great question — I don’t know, but I’d look at… / I’ll find out and email you.” Guessing and getting caught costs far more credibility than admitting a limit.

Difficult moments

Hostile questionStay calm, find the fair point in it, answer that
Long speech, no question“So your question is…?”
Off-topic“Good point — let’s talk after so we can keep to time”
SilenceHave a question ready: “A question I often get is…”

Tip

💡 End on your message, not on the last question: after Q&A, give a 10-second closing line.

✏️ Practice: your turn

  1. Write the 5 hardest questions you might get
  2. Prepare one backup slide
  3. Practice rephrasing questions before answering
  4. Practice saying “I don’t know, but…” out loud

✏️ Countdown timer: rehearse your talk to time

🧠 Quick quiz

Answer all 4 questions correctly to mark this lesson as done.

1. Why repeat a question before answering?
2. You don’t know the answer. You…
3. What are backup slides?
4. How should a presentation end?

0 of 4 correct

All lessons in Presentation Skills

  1. 🎯 1. Audience and one clear messageWho is listening, what should they remember, and why
  2. 🏗️ 2. Structure a talkA strong opening, three points and a memorable close
  3. 🖼️ 3. Clean slide designOne idea per slide, assertion headlines and fewer words
  4. 📊 4. Presenting dataOne chart, one message — and guiding the audience’s eyes
  5. 🗣️ 5. Delivery and nervesVoice, eye contact, pacing, notes and managing anxiety
  6. 🙋 6. Q&A and tough questionsPrepare likely questions, answer clearly and say “I don’t know” well
  7. 👥 7. Group and online presentationsSmooth handoffs, shared slides and presenting on Zoom or Teams