How to Answer Any Question with Clarity and Confidence 🙋🏽♂️
How to Answer Any Question with Clarity and Confidence 🙋🏽♂️
Issue #83: Become a Pro at Q&A. Three Alarms. Seven Energy Centers.
💡 Here are 3-tips to help you learn, grow, and be inspired this week!
🎓 Learn
Do you know someone who doesn’t answer the question clearly or gives you a long answer that is completely irrelevant to your main question?
Sometimes, you would even regret asking the question. 😀
Well, this someone sometimes can be you and me.
We all struggle to respond to a random question. It’s not that easy to be spontaneous.
But this method will help you get better at answering a question clearly and confidently.
Here is the method: A.D.D.
Answer the question in a single sentence.
Detail an example that supports your answer.
Describe the benefits that explain why your answer is relevant to the asker.
Here are a few examples of this method in practice
#1: You're in a job interview, and the hiring manager across the table asks you to describe a recent challenge that you had to overcome.
About six months ago, I worked with a colleague who failed to deliver his work in a timely manner, which often jeopardized our group's ability to complete our task [A]. He failed to submit his user report, which served as the foundation for our corrective action plan [D]. To address this problem, I pulled him aside and offered to help with his deliverables. I asked that he let us know two days in advance if he needed assistance. I always try to be direct in challenging situations and offer to assist [D].
Tip: Remember that when answering questions about challenges or areas of improvement, you can use the relevance part of your answer (the second D) to explain your correction or plan so that your interviewer gets insight into how you will act in the future.
#2: You are participating in a podcast or fireside chat interview. The interviewer asks you to share a bit about your connection to the topic under discussion.
I am passionate about communication [A]. I have studied, taught, and coached communication skills for over twenty-five years in a variety of settings [D]. I am really excited to share some of what I have learned over my many years to help you and your audience feel more comfortable and confident in their communication [D].
#3: You're at a mixer, and you're getting to know someone new. You ask one another generic questions to break the ice. The other person asks you what brings you there that day.
Well, I always enjoy learning new things and meeting people [A]. I found the goal of this gathering to be really interesting and educational [D]. I hope to share some of my past experiences and look forward to learning from folks like you (D).
Here are a few tips to practice this method
Prepare for possible questions: Not all questions are unique, so you can prepare in advance for a few common and obvious questions.
Time the Q&A to your advantage: You can pause for Q&A before moving to the next big topic during a presentation; don’t speak more than 10 mins before check-in with your audience.
Maintain control: Offer Q&A on topics you are presenting or specific areas only.
End with excitement: People remember how you end your answers or presentation. End strong.
Play the conductor: In team discussions and group meetings, instead of trying to answer all questions yourself, delegate a few questions to others.
Here is an easy visual recap of this method
I learned this method in Matt Abrahams’ book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot. Matt’s not just any expert—he teaches at Stanford and knows a thing or two about effective communication.
I would recommend reading the book if you want to hone your social and communication skills. However, I’ll continue to share the best frameworks from the book with examples in future newsletter issues. Stay tuned.
Here are a few other frameworks and tips I shared in the past to master the art of public speaking and effective communication:
🚀 Growth Tip
This is a screenshot of a few custom alarms that I set on my phone. You can edit the label of each alarm and name it whatever you want.
So, I set three alarms that go at different times of day. And each alarm reminds me of something that I want to focus on that week or month.
You can use this technique to:
Read your favorite quote
Remind you of your key life values
Focus on any specific goal or target
🤩 Inspiration
As per ancient spiritual teachings, there are 7 key energy centers in our body.
Focusing (or meditating) on each energy center can unlock different abilities, similar to uncovering hidden powers and skills in a video game when you find a secret spot or treasure box.
These 7 energy centers have been the key focus of my meditation and spiritual learning. And I encourage you to explore it as well.
Anil
May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴
P.S. Here is a YouTube playlist of all my favorite meditations.