Ever wonder what your audience thinks of you? Have you tried your best to read their body language and facial expressions? What do they really think of you? Do they see you as an expert? Do they know you’re not? Can they see you’re nervous? The questions they ask might be your best clue. Here’s why…

3 Types of Requests from Your Audience

My good friend Sara Canaday wrote an insightful book (You According to Them) on how the world perceives you. She goes into amazing depth on the styles of communicators and what your style says about a you. I highly recommend you add it to your reading list!

From what I’ve personally discovered from public speaking, there are three types of questions you’ll get from your audience. Each type of request is a snapshot into how this person perceives you.

Here’s an exercise you can do the next time you speak. Listen to the types of questions you’re asked and document them all. Then, place each question into one of the following 3 buckets. If you get a large majority of questions in one bucket, it should tell you something about how your audience sees you.

1. They Question Your Data

What were the numbers last quarter? How did you calculate that? What were the numbers in the SouthEast Region? This is when your audience asks you to provide numbers on a dashboard for the project you’ve been working on. Just the report card from tracking the data. You’re asked to compile the records, sum the information, and consolidate it all into one report. Then, as you present your dashboard slide, the audience asks questions about the numbers.

The Audience sees you as…

A MESSENGER. You’re a collector of data and information. They want to know you’re a credible source for the data. What happens with the data or how it’s interpreted or used will be determined by the audience. They’ll do the analysis of the data and then decide on next steps. You’re not asked for an expert opinion. You’re just asked to report the accurate data to them. You’re not invited into the decision-making process.

2. They Ask for Your Analysis

Sometimes the audience needs you to interpret the data. They lack the expertise you possess. Your personal interpretation of the data provides helpful insights and meaning. They might ask you, “What does all this mean? Why is this significant? How can we use this information?” The audience will ask you questions they can’t answer on their own because they’re not the subject matter expert… you are!

The Audience sees you as…

An EXPERT. You have the ability to interpret the data. Information becomes knowledge when it can be interpreted for a real-world application. The audience can’t analyze the information on their own because they lack the ability. You’re a sage expert in their eyes. They need your expert opinion to help them find value in the information.

3. They Question the Future

Once we analyze data for meaning, the next step is to apply it to our own personal world. When we learn some information from a speaker, we all go through a translation process. That’s where we take the knowledge we’ve gained and apply it to our own personal world so we can benefit from it.

Every time we learn something new, we all want to know how we can personally benefit from this information. “How do we apply this to our world to make our future better?” That’s the question the audience wants you to answer for them when their questions focus on the future.

The Audience sees you as…

A LEADER. You have the ability to positively affect the future. While all leaders live in the present to get things done, all leaders also have a vision of the future. When the audience asks you about applying information and knowledge to the future they might ask you predictive or “what if…” types of questions. Show them how to get value out of your information by applying it to their future and you’ll be seen as a leader.

Now also keep in mind your audience might be asking you the level 2 and level 3 questions even when they have their own expertise or opinions because they are inviting you into an expert or leadership role. The great coaches and leaders develop others by challenging them with questions to take them out of their comfort zone. That is where the growth happens!

I hope you all have a coach in your audience inviting you into the next step of your career.

Let me know if you have any questions!
Russ