How to Handle Tough Questions in Business Presentations

Dear son, Remember when you texted me after your big product pitch? "Mom, I nailed that presentation but no one said ANYTHING afterward. The VP just thanked me and moved on to the next agenda item. What did I do wrong?" First, take a deep breath. This happens to everyone—even seasoned executives with decades of experience. But I need to be brutally honest with you: silence isn't respect or agreement. It's resistance, fear, apathy or confusion. Why They're Really Silent🤫 1️⃣They completely disagree but don't want to embarrass you (or themselves) with a public confrontation 2️⃣They don't understand what you're asking them to do or approve 3️⃣They don't care enough about your proposal to engage with it The mistake most professionals make is interpreting silence as contemplation or agreement. They walk away thinking, "Well, no objections!" only to discover weeks later their proposal died a quiet death. The 3-Step Recovery Plan💪 1️⃣Break the Silence Yourself Don't just stand there awkwardly or retreat to your seat. Instead, say: "I notice we're a bit quiet. I'd value some initial reactions to help me understand if I'm addressing our most pressing priorities." This gives them permission to speak honestly without forcing confrontation. 2️⃣Ask a Specific Question Don't ask, "Any questions?" that's easy to decline. Instead, ask a question that reveals concerns while giving you control: "Which part of this proposal do you feel needs the most refinement before moving forward?" This question assumes they're on board with the general direction (even if they're not) but gives them an opening to voice concerns constructively. 3️⃣Schedule Individual Follow-ups Say: "I know everyone needs time to process. I'd like to schedule 15 minutes with each of you over the next few days to gather your thoughts once you've had time to consider this approach." Then—this is crucial—immediately send those calendar invites. Most objections surface in these one-on-ones that would never come up in the group setting. This is where you'll discover the real roadblocks. What I've Learned the Hard Way✨ The worst thing you can do after silence is nothing. The second worst is sending a cheerful follow-up email saying, "As discussed in the meeting, we'll proceed with..." Nothing was "discussed." That's the problem. When I was younger, I once gave what I thought was a brilliant presentation about a new training program. The room was silent afterward. I took it as approval and spent three months developing materials before discovering the executive team never intended to fund it. They just didn't want to crush my enthusiasm at that moment. That taught me that silence is not golden—it's a warning. Remember This Always👈 Your presentation isn't over when the last slide appears. The most successful leaders understand that this is where decisions actually get made. I'm so proud of how you're navigating these complex workplace dynamics.    Love you always, Mom

A couple of weeks ago one of the tech VPs I work with asked me to send him some articles on how to deal with "curve balls" in a presentation and/or larger meetings. We got to talk about it in more detail yesterday in our coaching session. Here's the list we came up with together that I refined a bit: 1) PRACTICE: Before a preso, we are usually trained to practice going through the PPT slides out loud. Keep doing that, and more importantly, practice "thinking on your feet" with hard questions. Ask your coach (or a teammate, or your boss, or your exec comms person) to pepper you with questions. Start with questions you come up with and then ask your conversation partner to riff a bit and make it hard, on purpose. 2) MINDSET: Come into the preso calm and your mind free. Usually, if you're prepared, it's easier to be calm; however, if you practice breathing before and during, it sure helps. 3) CREATE SPACE: Use transitional phrases to give you time and space to think. Here are a few: "Great question,” “Thanks for the question,” or "Please give me a bit more context regarding _____." 4) 1, 2, 3: The very best advice we have is to enumerate your response. This demonstrates clarity of thought and helps the audience focus. You can start with a transitional sentence: "I have two ideas on that...first...second..." 5) WIT: Respond to questions with wit/humor. You don't have to be "haha" funny. Instead, try to be "aha" funny with a quick response or even a self-deprecating quip...sometimes. 6) DON'T KNOW: Admit you don’t know the answer and say when you will get back to the questioner. That might be 5 minutes later if you have colleagues with you who know the answer or can look something up. Or it might be two days from now; it's ok to punt...sometimes. 7) DEBRIEF: Many Zoom meetings are recorded. Go back and look at the instances you had to be quick on your feet. How did you do? By no means is this an exhaustive list, but it's a good one. How do YOU best deal with "curve balls"? ----- Want to learn more about "thinking on your feet"? If you're a Director+, consider enrolling in “Cracking the C-suite,” March 8-9, with Ethan Evans and me. We would love for you to join us: https://buff.ly/4gvVQuQ ----- Want to chat more about a leadership dilemma you have or questions about the course? https://lnkd.in/gvaJrMVY

How to Handle Difficult Questions like a Pro while Public Speaking Have you ever been ambushed with a tough question during a presentation? I have. One I particularly remember was in front of 1000 people in New York City. I was presenting a new product launch to customers alongside a colleague. In the Q&A afterwards, one person raised his hand and said: ”I would like to know why you’re wasting our time with this when you should be making your existing products work!” “Well, thanks,” I said. “It is clear that you are having an issue, and I’d be more than happy to address it offline.” ”This is a user group meeting and I expect an answer,” he retorted. You could hear a pin drop at this point. It was tense. Our VP was pacing nervously at the back of the room. Our salespeople were panicking. Because situations like these can really make or break a speaker’s credibility. So I said: ”Well, we acquire products and services so that we can give you the best of both worlds… ”Enhancements to existing products, which we can devote our internal resources to, and enhancements to new products or the addition of new products. ”This way, you as a client get the best of both worlds.” He wasn’t happy. ”That's just the kind of answer that I would have expected from somebody from your company,” he snapped back. It was at this point I smiled and replied: “Then I'm glad I didn't disappoint you. Next!” At which point, the New Yorkers all erupted into cheers and claps because they enjoyed that. Because how you, the speaker, respond is crucial. Here’s some tips if you find yourself in a similar situation: ✅ Stay Calm and Polite Don't get flustered or defensive. Staying composed makes you look prepared. ✅ Reframe the Question If they seem confrontational, rephrase their question more positively before answering. This can buy you time and help defuse the situation. ✅ Use Humor Carefully When he accused me of giving a "typical" response, I played along lightheartedly. A little humor can relieve tension when used right. Don’t rise to their emotions. These will showcase your confidence and professionalism. Just make sure you know your content. And take a deep breath. - PS, what's the hardest question you ever faced when you were public speaking?

I spent a lot of years teaching presentation skills as Dale Carnegie instructor. One reality was always apparent: Everyone prepares for the presentation. Virtually no one plans for the Q&A. I've seen otherwise great presentations take a bad turn when the Q&A didn't go well. The opposite is also true: a solid Q&A makes a good presentation really shine. That's why I'm glad Matt Abrahams joined me on this week's Coaching for Leaders episode. Matt is the host of the popular Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast and also the author of the book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot. There's a ton you can do to help your Q&A session land well. Here are the key points we mentioned in the episode: 1. Many presenters think about a Q&A session like playing dodgeball. It’s more helpful to frame it as dialogue. 2. Answering questions well allows you to project authenticity, expand on key points, and resolve objections. 3. Use the ADD framework to respond to a question. A: answer the question, D: detail an example, and D: describe the value. If helpful, adjust the order. 4. Set boundaries for the kinds of questions you’ll answer and the timeframe for them. The audience expects you to lead the conversation. 5. Ask yourself a question if nobody else asks one first. This might start with, “A question I’m commonly asked…” 6. End with an exclamation point. Sticking the landing provides you confidence and shows credibility to your audience. The full audio, transcript, and notes are linked in the comments. What's one practice you use to nail Q&A sessions? Comment below. #leadership #management #careers