In the Line of Fire: How to Handle Tough Questions... When It Counts

by Jerry Weissman

  Topspin

  In Q&A sessions, stating Point B or a WIIFY at the end of the answer to a challenging question produces a strong and confident conclusion. Taken together, this strong ending is called Topspin, from the tennis term for a stroke that hits the ball high, forcing it to bounce sharply and making it difficult for the opponent to return. Topspin in tennis is a power stroke that gives a player a winning advantage. Topspin in Q&A is a power stroke that gives a presenter or speaker a winning advantage. (See Figure 6.1.)

  Figure 6.1. Topspin.

  Topspin in Q&A is a power stroke that gives a presenter or speaker a winning advantage.

  Please note that the icon for Topspin contains multiple upward swirling arrows; this is meant to encourage you to add multiple variations of your Point B, your call to action, and the WIIFY, the reason for your audience to act. After you have gone through the ordeal of listening, Buffering and answering tough questions, you have earned the right to promote your own cause and its benefits. Swirl your arrows upward. In your rehearsals, prompt yourself and/or your colleagues by using the gesture I use to coach my private clients: Point your forefinger skyward and twirl it…Topspin.

  You will learn more about how to add Topspin to your answers in the next chapter, but first an important footnote to the technique of agreeing with guilty-as-charged questions.

  Media Sound Bites

  Presenters and speakers often deliver their stories to journalists who record the exchange on paper or computer or video or audio tape. At that point, the presenter cedes control to the journalist, who is free to reproduce and publish or broadcast any part of the interview out of context.

  Therefore, if President George H. Bush had said to a reporter:

  You're absolutely right. I don't make mortgage payments or car payments.

  The reporter could then publish or broadcast those words isolated from the rest of the text and follow it with a commentary, "President Bush admits he doesn't understand the impact of the economy."

  Or if a CEO said to a reporter:

  You're absolutely right; it is a jungle out there.

  The reporter could then publish or broadcast those words isolated from the rest of the text and follow it with a commentary, "CEO admits major obstacles to success."

  Therefore, whenever you engage in a media exchange, do not agree with guilty-as-charged questions. Instead, immediately counter the charge:

  I am fully capable of helping people impacted by the economy.

  I am fully confident that we can succeed in a competitive environment.

  Or, if you want to acknowledge the guilty charge, downplay it as a subordinate clause before your counterstatement.

  While I don't make mortgage payments and car payments myself, I can still use the power of my office to help people impacted by the economy.

  While the competitive arena is a jungle, I am fully confident that we can succeed.

  Note that each counterstatement is punctuated with Topspin: "help people" is a WIIFY, and "we can succeed," is a Point B. In the next chapter, you will learn more about this powerful technique by seeing it in action in mission-critical situations.

  Chapter 7

  Topspin in Action

  (Martial Art: Agility)

  Guard against your opponent, wait for his move then immediately switch to the offensive.

  —Hei-Ho-Kaden-Sho (Hereditary Manual of the Martial Arts) By Yagyu Tajimanokami Munenori [7.1] (1571–1647)

  Topspin presents further parallels with the martial arts. It moves the combative exchange from the defensive, deflecting the challenger's negative energy, to the offensive, asserting influence over the challenger. However, exerting that influence is not easy; it requires the presenter to overcome opposing natural instincts. Human beings, when faced with danger, either try to protect themselves or escape the conflict: the classic Fight or Flight reaction.

  Most presenters, when faced with challenging questions, respond with either the Fight reaction: a terse defensive or evasive answer; or the Flight reaction, a short effective answer and then a rush to move on to the next question. For presenters to stand their ground and add another sentence or two of Topspin requires an act of extreme will. To Topspin well requires a skill of extreme mental dexterity.

  Just how difficult this can be is illustrated in the field of politics where candidates must stand toe-to-toe with their opponents in debate, in front of the public in open forums, or exposed to the press in the glare of the media spotlight.

  Michael Dukakis Misses a Free Kick

  Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis had his big moment in the media spotlight during the U.S. presidential election of 1988. As the Democratic candidate, Dukakis had twice debated George H. Bush, the incumbent vice president, but was still behind in the polls. Eager to have another chance, he accepted an offer from ABC television for a joint appearance 13 days before the election on its Nightline series. The Bush team declined the offer, and Dukakis, liberated from television's equal time requirements or a rebuttal from his opponent, had the equivalent of what in football is known as a free kick.

  However, during the live broadcast, when host Ted Koppel asked Dukakis a challenging question about his ability to lead the country, he replied:

  I guess the thing that concerns me the most is that I've found it very difficult to give people in this country a real sense of who the real Mike Dukakis is. Who I am, what I care about. And the kind of deep commitment I have to people in the communities and to this country, and why I'm running for presidency. You know, I've… people have said, well, I'm kind of cool. Don't have enough passion and so on. People who know me know just how deeply I feel about this country, and about our future, and about public service. And why I've been in public service for 25 years. But it's very difficult to convey that. [7.2]

  By concluding his answer with "It's very difficult to convey that," Michael Dukakis spiraled downward, ending negatively. Imagine if the governor had heeded the advice of Master Munenori and immediately switched to the offensive by saying instead,

  "People have said, well, I'm kind of cool. Don't have enough passion and so on, but people who know me, know just how deeply I feel about this country, and about our future, and about public service. And why I've been in public service for 25 years. And if they knew the kind of deep commitment I have to people in the communities and to this country, they would vote for me for the presidency."

  "Vote for me for the presidency," would have been Michael Dukakis' Topspin, his Point B, in his campaign against George H. Bush.

  Imagine if George H. Bush, in his 1992 debate with Bill Clinton, had concluded his answer to Marisa Hall by saying, "So if you'll only elect me to a second term, I'll initiate even more such programs." This would have been George H. Bush's Point B as well as Marisa Hall's WIIFY.

  Eight years later, George H. Bush's son, George W. Bush, ran for the presidency and was confronted with the challenge of employing Topspin effectively.

  The Evolution of George W. Bush

  During the U.S. presidential election of 2000, then Governor of Texas George W. Bush's chronic difficulty with the English language made him the constant butt of jokes in the media and the endless target of late-night comedians.

  This trait reached its nadir in the last of his three debates with then-Vice President Al Gore on October 17, 2000, at Washington University in St. Louis. The debate was conducted in the town hall format (the same format as the one in which George W. Bush's father had looked at his wristwatch and lost track of Marisa Hall's question). In this format, ordinary citizens had the opportunity to question the candidates directly. (There would be no follow-on questions for the son; he had learned from his father's mistake.) One young woman, Lisa Kee, asked:

  How will your tax proposals affect me as a middle-class, 34-year old single person with no dependents?

  Governor George W. Bush replied:

  You're going to get tax relief under my plan. You're not going to be targeted in or target
ed out. Everybody who pays taxes is going to get tax relief. If you take care of an elderly in your home, you're going to get the personal exemption increased.

  "…take care of an elderly in your home"! His answer ignored the fact that the young woman had said that she has no dependents. Then, with hardly a pause for breath, he went on to say,

  I think also what you need to think about is not the immediate, but what about Medicare?

  "Medicare"! Now his answer ignored the fact that she was 31 years away from eligibility for Medicare.

  You get a plan that will include prescription drugs, a plan that will give you options. Now, I hope people understand that Medicare today is…is…is important, but it doesn't keep up with the new medicines. If you're a Medicare person, on Medicare, you don't get the new procedures. You're stuck in a time warp, in many ways. So it will be a modern Medicare system that trusts you to make a variety of options for you.

  His rambling answer continued to move further out on a limb.

  You're going to live in a peaceful world. It'll be a world of peace, because we're going to have clearer…clear-sighted foreign policy based upon a strong military, and a mission that stands by our friends; a mission that doesn't try to be all things to all people. A judicious use of the military which well help keep the peace.

  He rambled farther and farther away from her question about his tax proposals.

  You'll be in world, hopefully, that's more educated, so it's less likely you'll be harmed in your neighborhood. See, an educated child is one much more likely to be hopeful and optimistic. You'll be in a world in which fits into my philosophy; you know, the harder work…the harder you work the more you can keep. It's the American way. Government shouldn't be a heavy hand. That's what the federal government does to you. Should be a helping hand.

  Finally, as Governor Bush wound down his answer, he addressed the Roman Column in Lisa Kee's original question: his tax proposals.

  And tax relief in the proposals I just described…

  Then he offered a WIIFY to the 34-year old single person with no dependents.

  …should be a good helping hand. [7.3]

  "…should be a good helping hand." Spent by his ramble, Bush's WIIFY fizzled. He made it worse by speaking the words without any sense of conviction.

  In his rush to Topspin with his own messages about Medicare, world peace, education, a strong military, his philosophy, and government policy, George W. Bush raced past Lisa Kee's question about his tax proposals with only a vague reference to them in his opening statement.

  You're going to get tax relief under my plan. You're not going to be targeted in or targeted out. Everybody who pays taxes is going to get tax relief.

  He was equally vague in his closing statement.

  And tax relief in the proposals I just described should be a good helping hand.

  With his rambling answer on seemingly unrelated subjects sandwiched between his first and last words, he appeared evasive. As a result, by the time he got to the end of his ramble, his Topspin fell flat in both delivery and substance.

  The lesson here is that a presenter or speaker must earn the right to Topspin by first answering the question. Then, and only then, can you Topspin, and it will flow directly and appropriately from your answer.

  A presenter or speaker must earn the right to Topspin by first answering the question.

  The CEO of a startup company challenged by a potential investor concerned about the company's ability to compete against a larger, entrenched competitor could first answer by describing the company's competitive strategy and then conclude with Topspin, "We're confident that we can not only compete effectively, but will succeed in this market." Topspin to Point B. The Topspin then directly counters the challenge hurled in the question.

  A salesperson challenged by a potential customer about the high price of a product could first answer by describing the total cost of ownership and then conclude with Topspin, "In the long run, you'll actually pay less." Topspin to a WIIFY.

  A marketing manager challenged by the executive staff for seeking more advertising dollars in a time of cutbacks could first answer by reviewing the results of the previous ad campaign and then conclude with Topspin, "The ads will generate more revenues." Topspin to a WIIFY.

  Topspin serves as the positive Yang to counter the negative Yin in the toughest question. If a question accuses you of being too expensive, too cheap, too small, too big, too late, too early, too light, too heavy, too narrow, too broad, too anything, you can counter the charge with your Topspin. Remember, however, that you must first neutralize the negative with your Buffer and then provide a substantial answer directly related to the Roman Column in the question, If you can, provide supporting evidence as well. After that, you are free to Topspin at will.

  Despite his performance in the 2000 town-hall presidential debate, George W. Bush assumed the office for his first term. However, his advisors realized that he needed to appear more presidential in public, so they set about to make improvements. The result of their efforts became visible less than a year into office when he held a press conference at a high school in his home town, Crawford, Texas, on November 15, 2001.

  In response to a question about U.S./Soviet relations, President Bush replied:

  I believe the U.S./Russian relationship is one of them most important relationships that our country can have.

  This Roman Column in the question was the U.S./Soviet relationship, and so his answer immediately and directly related to the question, quid pro quo. Then, after his answer, he said:

  And the stronger the relationship is…

  By restating the key word, "relationship," he linked forward to say,

  …the more likely it is the world will be at peace.

  "The more likely it is the world will be at peace," a WIIFY for the world. Topspin. Then, restating the words, "the more likely," he linked forward again.

  The more likely it is we'll be able to achieve a common objective, which is defeat the evil ones!

  "Common objective" is a synonym for Point B; Point B is a synonym for Topspin.

  …that try to terrorize governments such as the United States and Russia. And we must defeat the evil ones…

  "We must defeat the evil ones," a restatement of his Point B and another Topspin. Because he was in a high school, he also gave the kids their very own WIIFY.

  …in order for you all to grow up in a peaceful and prosperous world. [7.4]

  The quality improvement continued. After seasoning by the sobering events of 9/11, the economic downturn, and the war in Iraq, President Bush decided to run for a second term. On the day he officially filed to be a candidate, May 16, 2003, he held a brief press conference on the lawn at the White House (Figure 7.1).

  Figure 7.1. George W. Bush holds a press conference.

  In response to a question from a reporter about his prospects for reelection, President Bush said:

  The American people will decide whether or not I deserve a second term.

  His quid pro quo answer related directly to the reporter's question and earned him the right to move on to his own message, his Topspin.

  In the meantime, I am focusing my attention today on finding…helping people find work.

  "Helping people find work," a WIIFY for the electorate immediately after his answer…Topspin.

  And that's where I'm going to be for a while. I want this economy to be robust and strong so that our fellow Americans who are looking for a job can find a job.

  Another WIIFY for the electorate…another Topspin.

  We've also got a lot of work to do on the security front.

  Here was still another Topspin, this time to reinforce his role as a wartime president, his Point B.

  As John clearly pointed out, we've got an issue…we're dealing with countries Sfrom around the world to make sure that they know that the war on terror continues. No one should be complacent in the 21st century, the early stages of the 21st century, so long as
al Qaeda moves. I've told the country that we've brought to justice about half of the al Qaeda network…operatives, key operatives. And so the other half still lives. And we'll find them, one at a time. [7.5]

  "We'll find them, one at a time," a restatement of his Point B, punctuated with determination in his voice and his expression.

  In sum, President Bush delivered two strong Points B and two clear WIIFYs after his answer. Although the Points B and the WIIFYs were not directly in line with the Roman Column of his candidacy, the fact that he had provided an answer to the question released him to move on to his own messages, his Topspin.

  By the time his run for reelection came around in 2004, George W. Bush had become even more accomplished at Topspin. Over the course of the campaign, he developed a reputation for staying on message relentlessly. At the same time, he also repeatedly attacked his opponent for "flip-flopping"his positions. John F. Kerry, to his own detriment, all too often obliged by shifting policy.

  For most of the campaign, the senator's messaging either lacked focus or was inconsistent. In what was to become his bete noire, when a heckler at a campaign stop in West Virginia demanded to know why Kerry had voted for the invasion of Iraq and then voted against appropriating additional funds, he replied, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." Bush pounced on the statement and derided it at every opportunity.

  However, the president did not rely on negative attacks alone. They were far outweighed by many positive Topspins to his own agenda. This point is vividly apparent in the speeches he made during the homestretch of the campaign. A computer search of their texts on his website (http://www.whitehouse.gov/) finds that he repeated several key themes over and over, almost as a mantra.

  "Freedom is on the march"

  "A safer America, a stronger America"

  "We will prevail"

  "We have a moral responsibility"