Q & A
Question: I have recently got a senior position within my company．One of my new tasks is to make monthly progress reports on my department in front of other senior officials. During my first meeting, I presented and then opened the floor to questions． 16 _ My first reaction was to answer defensively(防卫地;戒备地)．Later, I realized that I shouldn’t have felt that way．But how can I keep cool and effectively answer questions in this type of settings?
Answer: Congratulations on your new position! Presenting in front of your peers (同事)is a hard task in itself and it becomes much more difficult when a question-and-answer period is required! Question-and-answer periods are a great way to clarify (使…清楚) the message and strengthen key points． 17 __
● 18
When a person is asking a question, show interest and a desire to understand the question by listening and asking for clarification．
● Buy time
When facing a hard question, most people can’t give an answer immediately．Buy time by repeating the question in your own words． 19 These techniques allow you to quickly organize your thoughts as well as to make sure you will be correctly answering the question．
● Suggest a private meeting.
A one-to-one meeting is a calmer setting than speaking in front of your peers． 20
A．Show your true interest．
B．Restate the question with respect．
C．Some ideas can be quite concrete．
D．There were many difficult questions．
E．It can also be more effective in exchanging ideas．
F．You may also ask for clarification on the question．
G．Here are some ideas that can help prepare for your next meeting．