Page 202 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

THE ART OF Q&A 193

The following are examples of some other bridges:
“That’s much too involved an issue to try to answer in the short
time we have here, but what I would like to say is . . .”

“I don’t think anyone can give a realistic answer to that question,
but what I can say is . . .”
“We’ve heard that question before, and we’ll hear it again, but
what we’re not hearing is . . .”

“I don’t know the answer to that, but what I do know is . . .”
More bridges:

“The more important question is . . .”

“Sure, that’s important. But have you thought about . . . ?”
“Instead of that, you should ask me about . . .”

I remember the example of the Dow Chemical executive who
was asked on national TV about the devastating role of Dow’s
napalm product in the Vietnam War. The executive replied that
while war was tragic, Dow had just developed a vaccine for menin-
gitis in children.

Sometimes you can deflect a pointed question by invoking legal
or corporate protocol:
“I’d like to answer your question, but our lawyers have asked
me not to just yet, because the matter is still in litigation. What
I can say is . . .”

“We’ll have to withhold our answer until we’ve had a chance to
review all the facts.”
“We have decided to hold off until senior management has had
a chance to look at the facts and agree on an appropriate
response.”