How to Influence Anyone, Anywhere, Every Time

CHAPTER 19MANAGING QUESTIONS

We can conduct an excellent diagnosis.

We can put together a superb 12‐step design.

We can incorporate all the PAVERS^® elements into the delivery.

Then comes the Q&A.

This is the test of your content, your credibility and your ability to manage dynamics in the room that will lead to influence.

Input, throughput, output

Using the systems theory as our starting point, we acknowledge that all communication follows an input, throughput, output flow in every communication context.

Inputs are the resources, information, participants and preparation that go into a meeting or presentation before it begins. Your diagnoses and design work is part of the input for the session.

Throughput refers to the processes and interactions that occur during the meeting or presentation. This would be the content, or the words, of the presentation or conversation, supported by any visual aids, discussion, workshops or other processing aspects of the session.

And, no surprises, the outputs are the results, decisions, actions and knowledge gained from the meeting or presentation and the questions that arise from the throughput phase.

If you leave a meeting or presentation with more questions than you went in with, the output phase has fallen short.

The Q&A phase of any communication scenario allows for clarification of points made during the session, ensuring that the audience has a clear understanding of the material, data or content. It's also an opportunity to elaborate ...