We’ve all seen it happen. Someone reaches the end of a presentation, displays a slide saying Questions? (which I would never recommend!) and asks, “Does anyone have any questions?”

But they’re met with silence.

After an uncomfortable few seconds, the presenter assumes everything must have been clear, thanks everyone and brings the meeting to an end. (They’re often relieved to escape!)

But silence doesn’t necessarily mean your audience has understood or agreed with you. They may still be processing the info. They may be reluctant to speak first, worried that their question will sound foolish… or maybe they’re simply unsure what sort of response the presenter is looking for.

The problem is that “Any questions?” is an incredibly broad question. It puts all the responsibility on the audience to choose a subject, formulate a question and then ask it in front of everyone else.

So it matters how the question is asked. Firstly, if you’re closing your laptop, gathering your notes or glancing at the clock while you say it, the audience will quickly realise that you’re not really inviting a discussion. You’re signalling that you’ve finished.

But secondly, there are a few other things you can try:

Provide another summary of what you covered. It may trigger some thoughts or questions.
Ask yourself a question - “One question I’ve been asked in the past is ….”. It again provides a little time for people to think and ponder.
Plant a question with a friend or colleague in the audience, to get the ball rolling!
Or simply ask in a different way “I’ve done all the talking so now it’s your turn. Is there anything that I can elaborate on, or do you have any thoughts, ideas or questions?“. I particularly like this (and use it myself) because it’s more personal and may promote some questions.

Then wait. Really…. wait.

A few seconds of silence can feel painfully long when you’re standing in front of a room, but people need time to think. Resist the temptation to answer your own question or rush to fill the gap.

Questions shouldn’t be treated as something to squeeze into the final two minutes. They’re often the most valuable part of a presentation because they reveal what people are really thinking. And they give you another chance to bring your personality out and charm your audience!

So, if you want a better response from your audience, don’t just ask whether they have questions. Give them a better question to answer.

“A Word to the Wise - Communication Tips from Lionheart Consulting”