“So, tell me about yourself.”
“What’s happening on the big project?”
“How are our quarterly numbers?”
If you want to sound confident, your response to any question should be clear and engaging.
“Ummm, that’s a good question…” or “Well, that depends…” does not communicate confidence.
At The Confident Communicator, we coach aspiring leaders to start an answer by showing they’ve heard the question and want to engage in a positive way.
“Tell me about yourself.”
“I’d be happy to….”
Author Judith Humphrey calls this a “grabber.” It grabs the listener by the lapel and says: hey, come with me!
“How is the project coming?”
“It’s on track…”
Grabbers respond to the question but do not provide a full answer. They provide a bridge from the question to the answer.
The second component of a confident response is a succinct message.
Your message should capture the main point you want to make in a phrase or single sentence. If the other person remembers nothing else from what you said, it’s this one thing.
“Tell me about yourself”
“I’d be happy to. I thrive on creative projects.”
Boom!
Grabber + Succinct Answer = Confident.
“How are our quarterly numbers looking?”
“Excellent. “We increased new applicants by 40%.”
Even when answering a factual question, your message can transcend the facts.
Pro Tip: in advance, think of a succinct answer to tough questions you may be asked. Be ready!
Sign up for your daily leadership communications tip at ConfidentCommunicator.com or email me from my XPX profile.