# Tough questions exercise: handling the audience — Couchinfo

> Respond to tough questions and glitches in four steps without losing the thread of the talk. 35 minutes, groups of four. Flow, debrief questions and tips for the fac

Source: https://couchinfo.com/en/exercises/tough-questions-on-cards/

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Exercise · Presentation Skills for Managers

## Tough Questions on Cards

Respond to tough questions and glitches in four steps without losing the thread of the talk.

Time **35 minutes**

Participants **Groups of four**

Materials **10 cards with tough questions and situations**

From the training **Presentation Skills for Managers**

### Why this exercise

A tough question from the room can derail even a well-prepared talk. In this exercise listeners use cards to play out typical situations: a question about a figure you do not have; "we tried that before"; a sharp question about cost; a senior manager interrupting in the second minute; the projector not turning on; a silent room. The speaker responds in four steps: listen, clarify or restate, answer to the point, return to the topic. The key principle: separate the tone from the content and never make up an answer.

### How to run it

1. Split the group into fours, each with a set of 10 cards.
2. The speaker takes one minute to set out the main point of their talk.
3. One of the listeners draws a card and plays out the situation: asks the question, interrupts or announces the glitch.
4. The speaker responds using the four steps — up to two minutes. The group notes in one sentence what worked.
5. Switch roles: everyone responds to two cards.

### Debrief questions

- Which card was the hardest?
- What helped you answer to the point rather than argue?
- Which three questions are you most likely to be asked in your own talk?

 **Tips for the facilitator**

- Ask people to play it "as in your own meetings", not harder: the aim is to practice the response.
- If an answer turns into a second talk, set a limit: two sentences and the question "Have I answered your question?"

This exercise is part of a training kit

#### [Presentation Skills for Managers](https://couchinfo.com/en/training/presentation-skills-for-managers/)

2 days · 13 hours · 17 exercises · trainer guide with what to say, slide deck, workbook, cards and tests.

 [The kit from $229](https://couchinfo.com/en/training/presentation-skills-for-managers/)

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