The following comes from TJ Walker’s upcoming book “The Wisdom of Your Audience”. Consistently, the worst advice speakers and presenters get, comes from everyone who is NOT your audience. The following gives examples of some of the WORST advice people are often given. It is followed by the advice of your audience. Listen to them. They are your true judge and jury.

How big of a disaster is it if I can’t answer a question during a Q and A period?

Your Public Relations Director: “You will look like a fool! Here is a briefing book with 129 possible questions you will be asked along with a detailed answer for each one. Please memorize them.”

Your Corporate Legal Counsel: “Say ‘no comment’ as often as possible.”

You: “Holy cr*@! This is my worst nightmare. If I can’t answer questions that come my way I will look like an absolute imbecile! I must cram, cram, cram! This question and answer thing has disaster written all over it.”
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Your Audience: “Ya, it’s possible you don’t know the answer to some question. I vaguely remember that happening to some speaker about five years ago. But if you are going to spend your time worrying about potential problems, why not worry about a real problem: you are going to bore us to death because you are planning on doing a boring data dump instead of sharing with us relevant stories about a handful of key messages. Worrying about not answering some hypothetical tough question makes as much sense as a chain-smoking, junk-food-addicted 295 pound couch potato worrying about the dangers of over-exercise. Sure, both could be a problem, but they are pretty low on the list of likely dangers.”