More on handling Q & A sessions.

Here are my answers to the two questions posed in an article I published on Linked-In…

The questions were…

5. What do you do about a member of the audience who tries to ask multi-part questions?

A. The simple answer here, although nor simple in execution, is to interrupt the questioner concerned and take his or her  first question only. Of course, you’ll have to be polite and explain that there are other audience members who will want to ask a question too.

B. If however, the multi-part question is potentially of real interest, then one could ask other members of the panel to take one question each. The difficulty here is if the questioner might have a rebuttle or two lined up.

6. How do you close down a Q & A session when there are many audience members who are keen to answer questions?

A.  Always a tricky one. The old adage “leave them wanting more” may backfire on the host and the panel members alike. In order to placate members of the audience who have unanswered questions, you could ask the panelists to have a “private audience” with them immediately after the end of the event. This though can be fraught with difficulties and dangers depending on the subject.

B. As an alternative, you ask for e-mail addresses so panelists can respond in writing. Again, this maybe unsatisfactory as would responding on Twitter.

There are no easy answers to this question. Both options put forward would need careful handling.

Tags: Event Host

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