“What if someone asks me a question I don’t have the answer to?”
One of the worries I hear about most often from leadership coaching clients is the fear of not being adequately prepared for a meeting.
When it comes to this fear, the typical advice is, "Prepare, prepare, prepare."
Of course, there’s wisdom in preparing. But here’s the thing: no amount of preparation will get you out of this one. A time will come when you will not have an answer.
That’s why I don’t advocate for over-preparing. It has the potential to fuel anxiety rather than quell it. Instead, I coach clients to prepare appropriately while also practicing strategies for responding to curveballs in the moment.
In this post, you’ll learn how I coach clients to prepare for unexpected questions. Write these suggested responses on a sticky note to have at hand the next time you present and walk into every meeting more confidently!
First, let’s talk about preparation.
Lay the groundwork for success by knowing your stuff, but don't agonize about every tiny detail and let worry take the reins.
Instead, prepare reasonably by doing things like:
Organizing your talking points
Having critical numbers at the ready
Anticipating the most likely questions
I also suggest letting your team and collaborators know that you'll be presenting and may need them to jump in with details regarding their work on the project. Doing so allows you to leverage collective knowledge during and after the meeting without anyone feeling like they've been put on the spot.
Now, imagine even after all this prep, you still get a question you're unprepared to answer.
First, take a breath. There’s no need to panic or question if you belong in the room. Even “Capital E” Experts get thrown off by questions from time to time.
If you need an extra moment to process what you’re being asked, you can restate the question and ask if you’ve captured it correctly. If not, you can proceed directly with one of these three responses that I coach clients to have ready:
1) “I don’t have the answer at my fingertips, but I’ll get it to you by <insert realistic timeframe here.>”
If you get a legitimate question related to the presentation topic but want to avoid guessing, this is my go-to response.
No one wants incomplete or inaccurate information and replying later that day (or week) is often entirely reasonable.
Whether it's a question about data, timelines, or a decision, ask for the time you need to share a confident response. If you feel like you need to offer some reply, you could try saying, “I would prefer to sit with this question for a bit before committing to an answer but here are my initial thoughts.”
Remember, your expertise is currency, and you should never feel like you need to compromise your professional integrity to satisfy the question asker.
2) “I don’t have the answer, but I know <insert colleague’s name> has been a part of those conversations. <Colleague’s name>, do you have any insights you can share?”
It’s easy to fall into the trap of treating work like an individual sport when, in reality, it's a team event. You have some of the information; your colleagues hold other pieces.
While you don’t want to deflect (remember, prepare your team in advance!), you can feel free to tap into the knowledge of the room. Or, if the person with the answer isn’t part of the meeting, you could say something like, “I don’t know the answer offhand, but I do know that Sonia on my team has been in meetings about that and I can ask her and circle back to you.”
This demonstrates your resourcefulness and that you don't need to be an expert at everything to be good at your job.
3) “That’s actually outside the scope of what I’ve prepared for this presentation, but I’d be happy to follow up with you offline to discuss.”
Sometimes, people use questions as a way of showboating and trying to look smart in a meeting. These questions aren't genuine— they are ego-driven attempts to stump the presenter. Not only are inauthentic questions unhelpful, but they are also the most frustrating thing that can happen in a meeting, according to 66% of respondents in a recent LiveCareer Survey.
If you get a question that you suspect is of this variety, the suggested wording above can work wonders. Here are a few things I love about this response:
It sets a boundary and prevents the asker from hijacking the meeting.
It reinforces the point that you DID prepare for the topic at hand.
It puts the asker in the position of needing to follow up, which they’ll do if it is an earnest question.
Write these three responses down on a sticky note and bring them along to the meeting or put them on your computer monitor so you'll have them at hand during your next presentation.
What if, despite your best efforts, you couldn’t come up with one of these responses?
Remember, it’s never too late! You can always send a meeting recap that includes the answer or go back to the asker or the group after the fact with a more complete response.
This proactive follow-up demonstrates professionalism and fosters trust.
Remember, not knowing everything isn’t weak; it's human! I hope you can put one or more of these strategies into action the next a surprise question is thrown your way.
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