Learn more about communication with this collection
How to choose the right music for different tasks
The benefits of listening to music while working
How music affects productivity
Clarify the question
Make sure you're not assuming what you're being asked and take the time to really understand the question.
Insert parts of the question in your answers, but never repeat the negative language.
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873 reads
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Be aware of your tone
Make sure you maintain a polite tone, even if you refuse to answer the question.
Also, mare sure you give out extra information and don't just answer the questions with a “yes” or a “no”.
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469 reads
Give out some control
Difficult questions tend to be emotional because the asker is usually frustrated or anxious.
So it might be a good idea to give the other person some control over the discussion. For example, use "I understand you’re frustrated. Would it be helpful if I shared some information about that...
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507 reads
Answer part of the question
Find a part of the question you are comfortable answering if answering the whole question is not an option.
This may sometimes be enough to satisfy the other person.
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607 reads
Watch your body language
The way you hold your body is as important as your tone.
Avoid poses that make you seem defensive (crossing arms or avoiding eye contact).
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653 reads
Take thinking time
When you're faced with difficult questions, make sure you buy yourself enough time to determine how you want to respond.
Repeating of rephrasing the question could give you some extra time for thinking about how you want to answer.
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Divert the question
Acknowledge the question, but then divert the conversation to a different topic, one you are more comfortable approaching and that interests you more.
Use phrases such as "That’s an interesting question, but I’d like to point out…"
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535 reads
Postpone your answer
Buy yourself some time by stating that you don't currently have enough information to provide a solid answer.
221
590 reads
Your use of pronouns
Turn around the pronouns to shift the focus on the other person and take it off of you.
For example, you can use: "It’s interesting that you think that" or "‘Why is this question of interest to you?"
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Related collections
More like this
Manage Your Nerves Along the Way
- If you make a mistake, keep going.
- Prepare a list of possible questions, in case you're worried people will ask you something you won't know how to answer.
- If you're asked something you're not really sure about, use a response that goes along the lines of “That’s a good q...
The so-called double-barreled question
When being asked a double-barreled question, you might find yourself in difficulty to provide an appropriate answer. The term designs the fact of asking two questions, while allowing only one answer. Which can be pretty misleading, as you do not know for sure which question will ...
The right question
People in crisis are often emotional and incoherent.
Questions with “Yes” or “No” answers are very useful for getting information quickly.
With more subtle questions, give a "menu" of at least three possible answers to avoid the question being misinterpreted.
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