Harvard Business Review Words of Wisdom Q&A Session kenneth.ashigbey October 31, 2014 0 Comments

Turn Your Boring Q&A Session Around

A lot of Q&As fall flat. Not all speakers are good at handling questions, not everyone participates, and not all questions are relevant. Luckily, there are ways to make these sessions better:

Do an inverse Q&A. The speaker poses a question to the audience, letting people discuss it with their neighbors.
Ask for reactions, not just questions. Invite people to share observations.
Have people vet questions in groups. Ask people to think of good, relevant questions in small groups. Then ask for some examples.
Tell a final story after the Q&A. Stop the Q&A session a few minutes before the end to share one final example. That way, even if it falls flat, you can still end your session with a bang instead of a fizzle.

Make Networking Less Stressful

Networking doesn’t always come naturally. But finding the right type of gathering that suits your strengths and interests will make networking much more successful — and enjoyable. Don’t force yourself to attend every event for the sake of “networking.” Make sure the environment works for you. If you don’t like crowded, noisy functions, steer clear of boozy harbor cruises and after-parties. If you can’t find a suitable event, create your own. Bring together different “interest groups” of colleagues that work in your field or that you meet at conferences. And make sure to commit when you’re at your best. If you’re not a morning person, don’t sign up for a 500-person networking breakfast. Subject every event to a cost-benefit analysis. Ask yourself who’s likely to attend, if they’re your target audience, and whether you’ll actually get to connect with them.