Gigi Presents Q&A Best Practices: How to Lead a Question and Answer Session
Sep 27, 2024
Feeling anxious about Q&A sessions? Discover key strategies to master the art of engagement and control the room during spontaneous questions. Learn how to prepare for unexpected inquiries while maintaining your authority. Gigi shares personal anecdotes to illustrate challenges and effective techniques, making the process less daunting. Plus, catch a sneak peek at her upcoming book on public speaking!
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Handling Rambling Audience Questions
- Gigi Rosenberg shared how a rambling complaint question disrupted her first Q&A at Powell's Books event.
- She waited patiently, then redirected by thanking and building a lesson around the comment, regaining control.
Prepare for Spontaneous Questions
- Prepare for spontaneity by brainstorming likely and dreaded questions and rehearse your answers.
- Rehearse polite refusals for off-topic questions to maintain confident, open energy during Q&A.
Choose Question Timing Wisely
- Decide whether to allow questions throughout or only at the end, weighing engagement versus control.
- Use audience participation like hand-raising or quizzes to keep them engaged if questions are saved for the end.