Page 36 - Power Presntation

Retaining Control

if someone criticizes something that you have said, avoid getting into an
argument with them. If your point was based on fact then make this clear
and present the evidence.

However, if it was based on your personal opinion, then don’t attempt to
pass this off as factual. Always remember that what is underlying the point
of contention may be a genuine concern and you should be seen to at
least acknowledge this. If you try to brush it aside it might be taken up by
other members of the audience and could become a much bigger issue
than if you had simply recognized it in the first place.

Attention seekers may make silly or sarcastic comments simply to get
themselves no-iced. Others may respond unwittingly to a rhetorical
question that you have posed sim-ly because they weren’t paying full
attention!

Try to analyze these sorts of events as they occur and respond, perhaps
with humor, acknowledgement, or support but don’t try to put people
down— this nearly always reflects badly on the presenter.

KEY POINTS

• You need to have a strategy for dealing with unexpected questions.
• The safest approach is to acknowledge the question saying that there is insufficient time

to answer it properly and to promise to deal with it during the
• Q&A session or after the presentation.
• Never allow yourself to be drawn into an argument, but don’t appear arrogant or

unconcerned about issues that other people feel strongly enough about to bring up.

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