This week’s episode of the very excellent Freakonomics podcast is a fascinating quest to understand why so many people – especially experts
in interviews – begin their answers by saying “That’s a good question.”
Host Stephen Dubner looks at a couple of possibilities. Experts commonly
learn to say “That’s a great question” in media training. Why? To buy a little time
to think about their answer, or to bridge to a response that leads to a
different topic. Some people may just say it out of habit or to flatter their
interviewer. For others it is a genuine
expression of admiration for the thoughtfulness of the question.
Dubner even talks to Charlie Rose about this phenomenon in a
delightful little segment that also emphasizes the importance of preparing good
questions to foster genuine interaction. Also, we learn to notice President Obama’s verbal
tics (“Look…” and “Listen…”) when he think the question he’s being asked is not
a great one! I highly recommend listening to the entire episode.
I think people often say “That’s a good question” as another
way of saying “I don’t know”. How to say I don’t know is routinely one of the
most popular segments of communication training I give to science communicators
and policy advocates here in Asia and Africa. We’re all uncomfortable when we’re
asked a question we don’t know the answer to, and experts most of all.
What I teach is based on the principles of risk
communication, as I was taught years ago by Dr. Vince Covello.
1.
Repeat the question, without repeating any
negative allegations that may have been in the question. For example, if the question
refers to a claim of danger reported in
a new paper,
“You’ve asked me about…(a
specific aspect of the safety of …).”
2.
Say you don’t know.
“I wish I could answer that”
“My ability to answer that is
limited by…(my expertise in a different area).”
“I don’t know”
3.
Say why you can’t answer.
“We’re still looking into that.”
“I don’t have that information.”
4.
Provide a follow-up, with a deadline if possible.
“I expect to be able to tell you more by….”
“I will ask the expert on that specific
topic to respond to you....”
5.
Bridge to what you can say
“What I can tell you is….”
Of course, you can always just say “That’s a great question” and then go on to bridge to another topic. The risk communication approach can still be a little awkward, requiring some practice beforehand and courage in the moment. But going through the step of
explaining why you can’t answer the specific question that was asked -- and
committing to follow-up with more information -- builds trust and credibility more than
bridging directly to the answer you can give.
Next question??
Jill Kuehnert
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