If you’re like many people, you might have a fear of your mind going blank when you’re asked a question after a presentation. It’s excruciating, isn’t it? And it can cause more stress than the actual presentation!
So here are some practical, reliable ways to help manage in that situation; they’re especially useful when adrenaline is high or you’re worried about being put on the spot:
1. Have a “buffer phrase” ready
These give your brain a second to catch up while still sounding confident:
“Great question – let me think about the best way to answer that.”
“Thanks for raising that – here’s how I look at it…”
“Interesting point. Let me just consider the implications.”
These pauses prevent panic and buy you 2-3 seconds of thinking time.
2. Use a simple structure to organise your answer
Having a clear go-to format keeps you grounded:
PREP: Point → Reason → Example → Point
ABC: Acknowledge → Bridge → Comment
3-part answer: Why? → What? → What now?
If your brain blanks, you can fall back on the structure rather than the content.
3. Rephrase the question
This gives clarity and time.
“Just to make sure I’ve got your question – you’re asking about…?”
“If I understand correctly, you’re wondering…”
It reduces the pressure of needing to answer instantly and ensures you’re responding to the right thing.
4. Prepare “topic buckets” in advance
List 3-5 themes you know you can speak about confidently. Most questions will relate to these.
For example:
Process → People → Impact → Risks → Next steps
When a question comes, mentally slot it into a bucket and speak from that. It reduces the chance of freezing.
5. Normalise the physiological response
Blanking often happens because your nervous system spikes so before Q&A:
Take a slow breath out (longer than the inhale)
Stand with balanced posture
Have water nearby
A calm body = a clearer mind.
6. Use “I don’t know; but here’s what I can say…”
Blanking often comes from the fear of being expected to know everything. Having a graceful fallback ensures you never feel stuck:
“I don’t have that data right now, but here’s what I do know…”
“Let me check and come back to you after the session.”
This removes the pressure that causes the blank.
7. Practise Q&A out loud
Rehearse with:
A colleague
ChatGPT
A list of “likely challenge” questions
Simulating the moment reduces the adrenaline spike that causes freezing.
8. Anchor yourself visually
Instead of staring at the whole room, look at one friendly face. It grounds your attention and prevents overwhelm.
9. Buy additional time
Take a breath before you speak. This allows you to consider your answer and indicates to others that you are giving it focused thought rather than jumping in to answer straight away.
Another way to buy some time is to take a sip of water after your “buffer phrase”. It’s a natural thing to do and can help you to reset from panic to formulating your answer.
10. Defer to others
If you know someone else in the room will be able to answer (without you putting them on the spot!), ask if they’d like to share their thoughts. You can then add to what they’ve said or move onto the next question.
The most important thing to remember is that you’re a human being, and you aren’t expected to know everything! Prepare as best you can for the type of questions you’re likely to be asked and use some of these techniques to keep yourself calm in the moment. If you’d like some further ideas, check out this post with Tips for Managing the Q&A Part of Your Presentation.
Mel Sherwood is a Presentation Skills and Personal Impact Speaker, Founder of The RED Effect™ and Author of ‘The Authority Guide to Pitching Your Business: How to make an impact and be remembered - in under a minute!’ She works with global business leaders, teams and individuals who want to be more confident, credible and compelling. An Australian based in Scotland, Mel is an award-winning speaker, author and coach and combines over 25 years’ experience in business with a background as an actor, presenter and singer.