Answer the Question First
How do you react when someone asks you a question you weren ’ t expecting , or wants you to discuss a topic you haven ’ t thought about lately ?
When you feel put on the spot by an unexpected demand , two things commonly happen . You either :
• Freeze — your mind goes completely blank , you stop breathing , and you can ’ t think of anything to say ; or you
• Flood — everything you know on the topic comes pouring into your brain , you have no idea where to begin , and you start just rambling through a mine field of ideas and information .
Both of these experiences are really unpleasant , and they ’ re hard to interrupt because the part of your brain that gives orders to your mouth is either missing in action or overwhelmed .
“ When you feel put on the spot by an unexpected demand , two things commonly happen . You either : Freeze ... or Flood ”
Fortunately , there ’ s a way to handle unexpected questions and requests for comment with ease . All you have to do is ...
Answer the Question First
“ Answer the Question First ” is my name for a simple technique that you can internalize ( learn deeply so that it becomes automatic ) with just a few seconds of daily practice .
To “ Answer the Question First ,” you :
1 . Listen to the question . In other words , keep your attention on what the other person is saying and not on any feelings of fear , anxiety , or unworthiness that may come up .
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