Foreword: Baptism Under Fire xvi
Introduction: Universal Challenges, Universal Solutions xviii
Chapter One: The High Stakes of Q&A 1
The Pricing of an IPO 1
The Making of a President 2
The Unmaking of a CEO 4
Chapter Two: Tough Questions 5
Why People Ask Tough Questions 5
Why Businesspeople Ask Tough Questions 10
Blood Sport 11
Chapter Three: Presenter Behavior/Audience Perception 15
Presenter Behavior: Defensive 16
Presenter Behavior: Contentious 18
Audience Perception 20
Chapter Four: Four Steps of Preparation 23
Research 24
Anticipate 25
Distill 27
Prepare Your Position 29
Chapter Five: The Q&A Cycle 31
Worst-Case Scenario 31
Maximum Control 32
Open the Floor 32
The Q&A Cycle 34
Yield the Floor 35
Chapter Six: You're Not Listening! 37
How to Lose Your Audience 38
How People Ask Questions 38
Ready, Fire, Aim 45
Chapter Seven: Active Listening 47
Yield the Floor 47
Subvocalization 56
Physical Listening 56
Yards After Catch 60
Chapter Eight: The Power of the Buffer 61
Retake the Floor 61
The General's Strategy 63
The Buffer 63
Buffers for the Seven Universal Issues 65
Industry- or Company-Specific Buffers 74
Chapter Nine: Structurally Challenging Questions 77
Negative Questions 78
Irrelevant Questions 80
Multiple Questions 81
Statements 86
Questions About Presented Content 89
Summary 91
Eight Buffer Benefits 91
Chapter Ten: Buy (Thinking) Time with Buffers 93
Paraphrase 93
Double Buffers 96
The Triple Fail-Safe 99
Buffer Options Summary 100
Key Word(s) Buffers in Action 102
The Making of a Master 109
Chapter Eleven: Slip, Slide, and Spin 113
Evasion 113
Valid Reasons to Decline an Answer 121
Chapter Twelve: The Quid Pro Quo Answer 123
Quid Pro Quo / Seven Universal Issues 124
Manage the Time 127
The First Three Steps of Q&A Cycle 129
Chapter Thirteen: Special Questions / Special Answers 131
Tangential 131
False Assumption 132
Unknown 135
Forward Looking 139
Downstream 139
Guilty as Charged 140
Point B and WIIFY 147
Topspin 148
Chapter Fourteen: Topspin 149
Topspin 150
The Suasive Q&A Cycle 155
Chapter Fifteen: Finishing Touches 173
Preparation 173
Verbalization 175
Chapter Sixteen: The Role Model 179
Summary 186
Endnotes 189
Appendix A: Video Links 201
Index 211
