How do you answer questions effectively? With 6 smart steps.

Questions. Think of all the ways, places, and circumstances people ask you questions. How prepared are you to answer? Does the thought of answering questions make you nervous? You need not worry. Equipped with the knowledge of how to respond to questions effectively, you can welcome questions, not fear them.

An effective communicator invites their audience to ask questions.

When? To prepare for any type of communication as in a needs assessment. Before, during, and after a presentation. In social media posts. In blog posts and other written communication. Invite questions.

Why? Questions help us know what our audience needs, what they understand, how we can clarify our messages, and ways we can help them take action to achieve the desired outcomes of our communication.

How? Questions can come to us verbally or in writing, in person or electronically, and in real-time or with time to respond at leisure.

No matter the way a question comes to us, answering effectively is best accomplished by following six smart steps. These are listed and discussed in Chapter 36 of Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide. The following excerpt includes updates to reflect answering questions not only in person but also virtually or in writing.

Let’s look at each one in order… The first, and possibly most important step is to…

1. Listen. Really listen.

If in writing, read the complete question carefully. Whether spoken or written, pay attention to the question, the entire question, without formulating your answer. If you begin formulating an answer before it is finished, you may answer the “wrong” question.

Listening carefully demonstrates respect for the questioner and your audience. It also provides you with a more complete understanding of the question. When an answer doesn’t match the question, the person answering is considered the poorer communicator.

In addition to listening well, fully observe the person asking, looking for nonverbal cues. These can include facial expressions, where the person is looking, and fidgeting or shifting motions. Even if you can’t see the person, observe their tone of voice. If the question is in writing, observe the overall tone of writing.

Is the seeker confused about or in disagreement with your message? An effective response accounts for the tone conveyed as well as the question itself.

Recognize the possibility of a hidden, unasked question. This is when an unspoken question is what the questioner is most interested in getting answered. Consider whether a question is disguising an unspoken question. People can be hesitant to share their true questions due to fear, insecurity, or intimidation.

Good listeners look beyond what’s being asked and discern the seeker’s motive and intent. Ask follow-up questions to make sure you understand not only the question but the context.

When I teach audiences about answering questions and ask them what they think is the first step, they rarely say listen, unless they’ve read Chapter 36 ahead of time. If you remember nothing else, remember to listen first and listen well.

2. Pause briefly to organize your thoughts.

Take a moment to organize your thoughts and prepare an answer. There is power in silence. It demonstrates respect to the seeker that their question is worthy of thought. Unless the pause continues for a long time, it does not make you appear ignorant. A brief pause makes you appear thoughtful, wise, and considerate.

Pausing is also important when answering questions in writing. Take a deep breath. Think about what the question is looking for. Don’t jump to the wrong conclusions.

3. In person, repeat the question.

Repeating the question is not a hard-and-fast rule, but it is important in many settings. For example, if other audience members did not hear the question, repeating it demonstrates a desire to involve and share information with everyone and eliminates the appearance that the answer is solely for the questioner.

Repeating the question also clarifies that the communicator heard and understood the question correctly and gives more time to formulate a good response. When repeating the question, it can even be upgraded to a better question – not a different question, but a question more in line with the key messages. This is especially effective when responding to difficult questions.

A question can be repeated either as a question or as the beginning of the answer. Let’s look at an example:

To simply repeat: “The question was, What foods are the best sources of beta carotene?” This will be followed with the answer as described in steps 4-6 below.

Or, the answer can also include enough of the question without repeating it, by stating: “The foods that are the best sources of beta carotene are...” This approach is recommended in media interviews and other situations that may be quoted. It allows the quote to be complete without including the question.

Note how much more effective these responses are compared to answering the question without repeating it and only giving a list of foods with no context. Audience members who missed the question may not know what the answer refers to when you simply respond, “Carrots, sweet potatoes, and...”

Even when answering a written question, repeat it to yourself before responding. You may notice something you missed that will help you formulate the best answer. Including a portion of the question in a written response is also recommended.

4. Summarize the answer.

Begin your response with a one- or two-sentence summary of the answer. If possible, tie the response back to a key point.

Using the example above, the answer could begin with, “The foods that are the best sources of beta carotene are primarily bright red or orange fruits and vegetables. As we discussed, a plant food’s color can serve as a clue to which nutrients it contains.”

This summary is then enhanced when you...

5. Elaborate with one piece of supporting evidence or an example.

This allows the communicator to enhance understanding by providing a more complete explanation. Seek to meet the questioner’s need to know not just what, but possibly who, how, when, or why. Provide needed context or elaboration.

An effective response provides a brief answer and one additional supporting piece of evidence – a statistic, an example, a reason, a fact, even an expert opinion, or a quotation. This suggests that although just one piece of support is given, more details could be provided upon request. Allow someone to ask for even more information.

Continuing the example from before, your answer could be supported by saying, “Some of the richest sources of beta-carotene are carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe.”

The supporting evidence may emphasize something already shared in the presentation or message, or even better, provide additional depth or context.

6. End by repeating the summary or tying the answer to a key point.

In closing, an answer can be made stronger by restating the initial summary or a related key point. For example, “Remember to eat many different-colored fruits and vegetables to get a variety of nutrients.”

Avoid ending with a statement that weakens your response, such as “I don’t know if that answered your question,” or “I really don’t know any more than that.” Just end. Smile and turn to the audience to demonstrate an openness to more questions.

In writing, follow the same steps: Listen/read carefully, pause to think, repeat or reread the question, summarize the answer, elaborate with one piece of supporting evidence, and end with a restatement of the response or a key point. Be complete but as brief as possible.

For more practical guidance, check out these previous posts about responding to questions effectively, which link you to a tip sheet for mastering the Q and A:

"If we would have new knowledge, we must get a whole world of new questions."~ Susanne Langer

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