When to take questions

During the talk vs. at the end

The timing of the Q&A session should not be left to chance; it is a strategic decision that defines the dynamics of the presentation.

The speaker should determine in advance whether to allow interruptions during his or her presentation or to reserve an exclusive block at the close.

Allowing questions during the presentation fosters an atmosphere of dialogue and keeps the audience active, but runs the risk of fragmenting the speech and losing control of time.

If this model is chosen, it is crucial to establish clear rules, such as requesting that attendees raise their hands and wait to be given the floor in order to maintain order.

On the other hand, holding the Q&A at the end ensures that the speaker can deliver all of his or her content without deviations.

However, it can cause specific questions to be forgotten or lose context.

To mitigate this, the audience can be instructed at the beginning to note their concerns as they arise, ensuring that the final block is rich and fluid.

An intermediate strategy for large groups is to group thematic questions together or select the most relevant ones in advance if they have been collected in writing, thus optimizing time management.

Strategies to break the ice

It is common to face an "awkward silence" when the question time is opened; the first question is always the most difficult to get due to collective shyness. If no one perks up, the speaker should not allow the energy to wane.

An effective technique is the "self-question": the speaker can mention that, during the break or in previous sessions, someone raised an interesting question, and proceed to answer it himself.

This validates the questioning process and allows time for the audience to formulate their own questions.

Another tactic is to have questions "seeded" among trusted collaborators or attendees to break the initial ice.

The goal is to dem