One antidote for freezing during Q&A

When people fire difficult questions at you in meetings and at Q & A time after your presentations, the best first behaviour to do is to nod, briefly. Many of my sales presentation clients can ‘freeze their head’ when they are unexpectedly called on to respond, or when receiving a sharp question.

The brief nod (regardless, at that specific point in time if you have an response/answer or not) gives the questioner, and other people, initial confidence in you. It also buoys your own confidence to respond/answer (it’s a form of visual, positive self-talk). Then, after that ‘nod time’ you can search your mind and speak your response/answer.