Great Answers to Tough Questions at Work

250 Pages·2016·0.97 MB·English

by  Michael Dodd

CONTENTS
Cover
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction: Helping You Thrive On “Blowtorch-On-The-Belly”
Questioning
Part One: The Tools You Need
Chapter 1: Winning Answers Every Time
Scoring a Goal with Every Answer
Taking Inspiration from a Master
Learning What Not to Do
Winning Answers in the Right Spirit
Observing How Not to Do It
Chapter 2: Crafting the Right Message to Underpin Every Answer
Crafting That Message Your Questioners Need
Determine Your Message First, Then Formulate Your Answer
What Is the Message?
Formulating Your Key Message
Crafting That Great Message
Combining Fact and Emotion in Your Message
Chapter 3: Harnessing the Power of Stories
Using Stories to Enhance Your Answers
Doing It Like the Presidents Do
Great Stories Prompt Change
Painting Pictures in the Minds of Your Audience
Collecting Illustrations for Your Treasure Chest
Using Stories to Grab and Wow Your Audience
The Story That Hits All Factors
Make Your Stories Pass the “So What?” Test
Chapter 4: Finding Out in Advance – Then Planning For It
Getting It Right in That Set-Up Discussion
Asking the Right Questions, So You Can Prepare the Right
Answers
Having a Pro-Active and Reactive Plan
Getting Your Preparation Right
Turning a Negative Mindset to a Positive One
Chapter 5: The First Golden Formula – Simple As ABCDE
How you Structure Your Answer is Critical
Deal with the Bad – Then Gravitate to the Positive
Making the Formula Work for You
Phrasing Answers with Your Positive Words
How to Avoid Echoing Negatives
Moving from the Specific to the General
Moving from the General to the Specific
Dictating that Next Question
Chapter 6: The Second Golden Formula – What to Say When
Something Goes Seriously Wrong
Talk to the Heart before the Head
Show Your Concern Right at the Start
Using the Care Approach in Action
How the Care Approach Helps
Switching Formula As You Need to
Chapter 7: Maximizing the Impact of Your Examples and Stories
Story Telling Is a Learnable Skill
Shape Your Example to Give That Great Finish
Preparing Stories That Stick
Applying the Rules to Your Example or Story
Chapter 8: Getting Your Performance Right
Watch Yourself Back and Adjust
Project the Best Version of You
Be a Great Performer
Move with a Purpose
Liberate Your Arms
Study Those Weather Forecasters
Get It Right with Your Face
Be Careful When Listening
Use But Minimize Notes – Where Necessary
Rehearse, Relax and Succeed
Wisdom from a Vocal Master
Visualize Your Success
Chapter 9: Conveying Your Answers to Different Personality
Types
Crafting Answers to Persuade Specific Individuals
Connecting With Four Different Personalitytypes
Giving the Right Stuff to the Right Person
Part Two: Using Your New Tools
Chapter 10: Great Answers for Prospects
Be Ready for That “What Do You Do?” Question
Selling Digital Music To Cave Dwellers
Asking Great Questions Paves the Way for Giving Great
Answers
Guidance on That “What Do You Do?” Question
Discover What's Fascinating About Your Field
Answering the Elevator Question
Structuring Your Self-Introduction
Dealing With Those Tough Sales Questions
Chapter 11: Great Answers During Price
Negotiations
Be Ready for Questions Like These. . .
Plan Your Approach for Great Outcomes
Key Negotiation Principles to Underpin Your Great Answers
Making Gold, Silver and Bronze Offerings
What to Prepare in Advance
Putting It Into Action
Putting Your Preparation Into Action
Chapter 12: Great Answers for Clients
Great Answers That Help Build High-Level Client Partnerships
Positive Responses To Client Worries
Dealing With Tough Client Questions When Something's Gone
Badly Wrong
Keeping Your Clients on Board Through Your Great Answers
Chapter 13: Great Answers in Those Nerve-Wracking Job
Interviews
Find Out All You Can in Advance
Think Through Why You Should Have the Job
Despite the Pressure, They Usually Want You to Succeed
Projecting the Right Attitude
Preparing for Questions At a New Full-Time Job Interview
Dealing With Pressure Questions in Interviews for Senior Posts
Prepare for All Those Predictable Job Interview Questions
Chapter 14: Great Answers for Your Boss
Use Your Boss's Questions to “Manage Upwards”
Utilize Critical Questions to Springboard Onto What You
Require
When Things Go Wrong, Establish Your Position Before the
Questions Start
A look at other tricky boss questions
Chapter 15: Great Answers in Presentations, at Events and in
Meetings
Ensuring Your Presentation Inspires Those Questions
Integrating Your Presentation and the Q&A Session
Set Out the Question Guidelines Early
Guidance on Answers in Meetings
Answers for Your Entire Audience
Chapter 16: Shining Out Through the Media and at Public Grillings
Under Sustained Questioning, Always Go Back to ABCDE
Getting It Right in that Interview Request Call
Asking the Right Questions, So You can Prepare the Right
Answers
Tapping into the Power of Asking Questions
Being Prepared for Tough Questions in an Unfolding Crisis
In the Inquiry Spotlight, Say what Needs to be Said
Your Role in Conveying the Wider Picture
Ongoing Enhancement: Great Answers for Your Inspirational Future
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Index
End User License Agreement
“The great thing about this book, and the excellent insights of the writer
Michael Dodd, is that it covers a lot more than just ‘dealing with' difficult
questions. The practical tips, tools and advice help to turn difficult
questions into great opportunities!”
Phil Jesson, Managing Partner at KAMguru – The UK's leading Key
Account Management consultancy
“This book is the ultimate handbook for the modern leader for whom
inspiring communication, conversation and story-telling skills are must-
haves. Inside are two Golden Formulae that you can use to plan, prepare
and practice and be ready to not just answer any tough questions well,
but to be a standout communicator in all situations.”
Ian Berry, Mentor for Business Leaders and International Speaker
on Leadership and Change
“Should I recommend Great Answers to Tough Questions at Work? That
is an easy question – Yes. Why? As a CEO (also, husband, father, son) I
have been asked tough questions that have stopped me in my tracks.
Now, give me tough questions, I'm ready. Thanks Michael.”
Tony Meyer, CEO at Now Managed Learning Services
“Entertaining, insightful and packed full of practical tips, this book is a
‘must-have' for anyone in the public eye.”
Susan Cousin, Headteacher and Multi-Academy Trust Director
“If you are a leader in a high profile position, you must expect to be
interviewed and challenged on a regular basis. Michael Dodd's book will
be a great help to anyone finding themselves in such a position. This
book emphasises the importance of carefully planning the messages you
want to get across with well-prepared responses to the questions,
thereby enabling you to remain in control of the situation.”
Sir Mike Hodgkinson, Chairman of Keolis (UK) Ltd, Deputy
Chairman TUI AG
“If you want to out-communicate your competitors, out-smart everyone in
your strategic communications and build competitive advantage this is a
must read. It also comes with the additional benefit of enabling you to
must read. It also comes with the additional benefit of enabling you to
hugely improve your internal communications, resulting in higher levels of
engagement and inspiring greater innovation and creativity amongst your
team.”
Sir Eric Peacock, Chairman of Just Loans PLC; Non-Executive
Director at United Kingdom Export Finance
“Michael Dodd has quizzed the best on six continents and all his
experience, knowledge and stories are distilled in this brilliant book. He
gives you his formulae for planning, preparation and practice so you're
always ready for the toughest questions with answers that satisfy the
questioner and place you in the driving seat.”
Barry Graham, Founder and CEO Speakers' Corner
“Employing well-crafted messages and powerful, amusing stories
throughout his book, Michael Dodd practises what he preaches. Covering
a wide spectrum of business situations from client relations to media
crisis, Great Answers to Tough Questions at Work is immensely
readable, highly practical and might just save your career and
reputation.”
Jem Thomas, Director of Training and Innovation at Albany
Associates
Great Answers to
Tough Questions at Work
Michael Dodd
This edition first published 2016
© 2016 Michael Dodd
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