MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 30, 2008 — As the fears about our economic futures grow greater and greater, the emotional intensity is rising even higher in boardrooms, in conference calls, in meetings large and small. Speakers are being bombarded with questions that have not just a little edge but a lot of downright anger and hostility.
"Handling hostile questions is tough," says Anett D. Grant, president of Executive Speaking, Inc., a global speaking coaching company founded in 1979 and headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. "You can't sidestep the issue or divert the question. Speakers today are going to have to respond to angry audiences with clarity, candor and respect."
To achieve genuine understanding when facing hostile questions, Grant recommends the ABC approach: Align, Bridge and Communicate.
Aligning at the beginning is critical. You definitely want to avoid the risk of escalating the conflict by beginning with statements like, "You're wrong! You don't get it! That's just not true." You may be right, but the impact of facing the disagreement head-on will not be perceived as constructive.
To align effectively you have to not only recognize your audience's position, but demonstrate understanding of why they have that position.
"In today's charged environment it's not enough to say, 'I understand what you're saying' or, 'I see your point of view,'" says Grant. These statements alone are often perceived as lip service, borderline condescending. You need to go farther.
For example, if you are confronted with a question like: How do you expect us to develop this new product on time when you've just mandated a 10% cut in personnel? You might align by saying, "I understand your frustration. I know that you and your team have been so dedicated and working harder than ever. Your cars are in the parking lot way past quitting time."
By recognizing their concern and demonstrating understanding, you are aligning effectively.
Bridging is the next step. The bridge should be short and direct – a few words or a sentence. Your priority is to keep the focus on straightforward speaking – no digressions into political rhetoric.
For example: However, we have to find even more ways to work together to meet these goals.
Communicate, the next step, is your biggest challenge.
To communicate in a hostile environment, you have to be clear and concise.
"The best approach is to package your answers as oral bullet points," says Grant. "You need to begin each point with a conclusion, and then provide details."
For example: One of the reasons we have to achieve this goal is because we've made commitments to customers. We will face significant penalties if we miss key milestones.
You will have more impact if you have many points (i.e., many reasons) rather than one point in great detail.
"Hostile audiences have short attention spans," says Grant. "You have to make your points without jargon, without going off on tangents, without the clutter of data that is confusing and fuels even more frustration and animosity."
You may not be able to give your audience what they want, but you have to give them what they can understand.
For more insight into mastering the challenges of handling hostile questions, contact Anett D. Grant at 612-338-5748.
Executive Speaking, Inc. coaches leaders from around the globe from companies including PepsiCo Inc., General Electric, DHL, Pfizer, MasterCard, Verizon Communications, Honeywell, SABIC, Novartis and Societe Generale.
http://www.ExecutiveSpeaking.net
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