We've introduced a bunch of tools in this module to make sure that we can really kind of connect with people, and make our meetings effective, make our work team communication effective, how to minimize communication and getting to that place where we're just know what each other's doing. Creating psychological safety. There's one element that we haven't really addressed yet. Because if you're like me, part of any effective team means the comfort to be able to ask questions. If you're also like me, nothing can derail a conversation, nothing can make a meeting drag on and on like a question. In this video, we are going to learn how to answer questions. We're going to review a model that you can use as a tool to effectively and quickly answer questions. Now, here's one thing you need to remember about questions. Get in here, because this is a big one. I'm about to blow your mind. Most questions are not questions. They are statements of opinion. Most questions are not questions, they are statements of opinion. Let me prove it to you. Here's how nine out of 10 questions happen. "Yeah, I have a question about that one thing you just said, because I'm just not sure if it's going to work. I know that in the past I've done" it's an opinion. Here's another one. "Yeah, I got a question. I don't know if I agree with you on that point, because-" it's an opinion. Rarely is a question formed out of curiosity. Using the question is an acknowledgment of agreement, or an acknowledgment of disagreement followed by why. Now, here's the other thing to consider. What are the odds that I'm going to change your opinion? Low. Exactly. So therefore, the goal of answering a question should not really be to explore, and answer, and indulge that question, because it's a statement of opinion. The goal of a question should be to re-emphasize the point, it should be to create further understanding of what we are currently discussing, rather than derailing your conversation, derailing the action, apologizing and acknowledging that person's opinion as potentially being better. Think about it. That is how most questions get answered. "Oh, you know, you may have a point." Its, "I just did some research, but I don't know, you could be right as well." Great you've just thrown away everything you've been talking about. So what can we do about it? Now, here's the first thing we need to consider. This is super important virtually. Sometimes someone will ask a question, either in the text part, or they'll put on there their mic. Part one is repeating or rephrasing the question. Here is how most questions function in the real world. You ask me a question, I answer the question, you and I have a conversation, everyone else in the room stops listening. That is even worse in a virtual world. In a teleconference, or video conference, you and I start having an audio conversation, people literally will just start doing other things until they hear the conversation stop. So part one is rephrasing or restating that question, and getting an opinion. So every time someone asks me a question, I restated in my own words, or I repeat the question, but then I ask, "How many of you would agree? How many of you have that same question?" Getting that physical action, that lets people know you're also part of this conversation. Step two is respond. But we have to respond in a certain way, because remember, this is probably just a statement of opinion. So me answering your question, or acknowledging that you could be right, just weakens me a little bit. Derails a conversation. So what's more important is to communicate to the rest of the group that you understand that question. Not only do you understand that question, you also used to be this person who's asking the question and yet still you were convinced. So here's how you do it. This is right out of the Apple genius training manual. Feel, felt, found. Feel, felt is just empathy. It's saying, "I understand how you feel. I also had that exact same question." But it's taking it a step further. Don't just say, "Oh, I can see how you could have that question, I also have a question," that doesn't say anything. Spend three or four sentences exploring where that question came from. You know what? I can see how you had that question, because when I was designing this workflow, I had the exact same question, I was saying to myself, "Isn't this just going to take more time?" I also felt that way. What you're saying to the room is if this person is skeptical, you're also that skeptical person, and yet still you are convinced. So the impression you're making is that yet still you were convinced. So you use feel, felt, and then you get to the last part found. "You know what? I also have a question. I thought will this workflow make things longer not shorter? What I found is when we tested it, on average workflow was shorter." Found is evidence. Found is saying, "This is not my opinion." Found is saying, "Here's the results, so I have to have this opinion." What you're communicating to the group is that you weren't only that skeptical person, you took a skeptical look at the information, and this is the only conclusion the information tells you. So it takes it out of the realm of your opinion, my opinion, argument, and it puts it into the realm of like, "I completely agree with you. I was you. Here's what the evidence says." The last part is relate. Relate means go back to your first point. Always have the last thing you say, or call back to the one thing you want them to remember. That is how you respond to questions. One, repeat or rephrase it, and ask for an opinion. Two, respond using feel, felt, found. Three, relate to your key point, your key action. Following those three elements will make sure that you always answer questions effectively. Using this three-step process will make sure that every time someone asks you a question, by the time you're done, everyone else in that whole room is just going to be even more on your side. That is how you answer questions effectively.