I recall attending a large seminar with approximately 200 people in the room. After the presentation, the speaker opened for questions. I was sitting right at the back and I have to say, had no idea what was going on for the next ten minutes. What did he do wrong?

Listen carefully to the question and repeat it aloud. I couldnt hear the person with his question. The microphone was doing the rounds but the seats were so tightly packed, this didnt find its way to the questioner. Make sure you, as the speaker, understood the question correctly and that your audience knows the question to which you are responding.

Answer directly. Look directly at the person asking the question. Give simple answers to simple questions. If the question demands a lengthy reply, agree to discuss it later with anyone interested. I think from my example, a conversation ensued between the speaker and the questioner. Virtually the entire audience took little interest. It was a shame because the actual speech was very good.

Refer to your speech. Whenever possible, tie your answer to a point in your speech. Look upon these questions as a way to reinforce and clarify your presentation.

Anticipate areas of questioning. Prepare factual support material in three or four areas in which you anticipate questions.

Be friendly, always keep your temper. A cool presentation creates an aura of confidence. When the questioner is hostile respond as if he or she were a friend. Any attempt to "put down" your questioner with sarcasm will immediately draw the audience's sympathy to the questioner.

Always tell the truth - If you try to bend the truth, you almost always will be caught. Play it straight, even if your position is momentarily weakened.

Treat two questions from the same person as two separate questions

Don't place your hands on your hips or point at the audience. These are scolding poses and give you the appearance of preaching.

Keep things moving. There is a rhythm to a good question-and-answer exchange. They volley back and forth in a brisk manner. Keep your answers brief and to the point with many members of the audience participating.

Conclude smartly. Be prepared with some appropriate closing remarks. End with a summary statement that wraps up the essential message you want them to remember.

Eliminate Conflicting Ideas - clarify the problem or conflict from their point of view. Don't try to get them to full agree with your perspective. The goal is not to get them to see black (their side) or white (your side). Get them to at least grey (half way point). The best you can hope to expect is to get your audience to at least understand and acknowledge your point of view. At the same token you need to acknowledge and understand theirs first. As Steven Covey says in his work, "Seek first to understand before you can expect to be understood"

So there we have some brief tips on how to deal with a question and answer session following a presentation.