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Mastering Public Speaking – When Should We Allow Questions?

Guest post by: Andrew Rondeau

Article Overview: When mastering public speaking this question often arises: “When do I allow questions?”

Mastering Public Speaking – When Should We Allow Questions?

When mastering public speaking this question often arises: "When do I allow questions?"

Different public speakers allow questions at different parts of the presentation; but although there is no right or wrong way, the majority of speakers take questions only at the end. When mastering public speaking, you'll want to decide the best time.

If we allow questions to be asked of us as and when they arise, it certainly aids informality - and this may be desirable if we are unsure of the level of knowledge of our audience.

However, unless controlled carefully, we could find the subject veering off at a tangent and all our careful preparation in danger of flying out the window as we follow a path for which we had not planned.

Another method is to allow questions at the end of fixed sections of the presentation. For complex topics this could again be beneficial so that everyone has a chance to catch up before moving on to the next section.

If, however, our audience is large, or it is a formal occasion, we are likely to have little choice but to keep all questions to the end. It is certainly easier to control the flow of the overall talk and it is so commonplace that most people feel comfortable with holding their questions back to the end. It also means we are better able to control the timing and flow of our speech and to keep ourselves on the straight and narrow.

In general, formal presentations will generate formal Q&As while informal sessions could encourage informal debate among a whole group of the audience.

The most important thing about the Q&A session, when held at the end though is that it will be the last thing that our audience remembers about our entire performance. If we gave a brilliant presentation, but stumbled over the answers at the end, the audience is likely to go away less than impressed.

On the other hand, if we gave a mediocre performance in the speech itself, but shone like a star in the Q&As, it may be enough to save our reputation and allow us to leave with our head held high!

For this reason, many people choose to hold their Q&A sessions just before the end. The difference is a fine one; and the thinking goes along the following lines: what happens if the Q&As go badly, or if the audience turns hostile?

Remember that the lasting memory of our audience as often as not will be how we ended our presentation. So some people hold the Q&A session just before the end, when they have said what they wanted to say, but before their killer close. This way, if the Q&As go badly, they still have a chance to pick up the pieces and end their presentation with a bang.

It's up to you which you prefer to do; but when mastering public speaking - think about it carefully, as if you are at all worried about your audience reaction, it could spell the difference between success and failure.

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Article Tags: management tips, Manager skill, manager skills



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