Preparing for Q&A is Not About the Right Answer

Counterintuitive Advice for Better Q&A

Hey everybody, Dean here again with some counterintuitive advice to help you communicate better. I want to talk about Q&A — that critical part at the end of every presentation, pitch, project interview, or shortlist presentation. It’s where your team’s ability to connect, collaborate, and think on their feet can make a huge difference in how the client perceives you.

You want your team orchestrated and answering well. Good for you. But here’s the counterintuitive part: we often confuse Q&A prep with trying to figure out what the right answers are. And that’s not necessarily the best approach.

Why Overpreparing Can Backfire

If you focus too much on prefiguring exact answers, you’ll run into two big problems. First, you can’t possibly predict every question — what they’ll ask, in what order, or how they’ll combine multiple ideas into one. It’s impossible to anticipate them all. Second, the more you prepare specific answers, the more your Q&A starts to sound like another presentation. And that’s not what the client wants. At that point, they want a conversation. They already know you have expertise — you’re at the table because you’ve proven that. Now they want to see how you think, respond, and collaborate.

How to Prepare Effectively for Q&A

Instead of overpreparing, focus on two simple steps:

1. Establish your system for answering questions. Decide in advance how your team will handle Q&A. Will you have a “quarterback” who fields and directs questions, or will it be more open and collaborative? Figure out your approach and practice it as a team so everyone knows the rhythm.

2. Map out potential questions in a structured way. Think through as many likely questions as you can, but keep it simple. For each one, consider:

• Who’s affected by the question?
• What problem does it reference or reveal?
• What would success look like if the question were answered well?
• And finally, what might the answer be?

When your team understands the context behind questions — who’s impacted, what problem is being solved, and what success looks like — your answers become more meaningful and aligned. You don’t have to script them; you just need to share an understanding of what matters most.

Prepare this way, and your team will sound more unified, confident, and authentic. You’ll have better conversations, stronger connections, and a Q&A experience that demonstrates real collaboration and communication skill.