Gotcha Questions are tough, because the goal is to make you anxious, flustered, embarrassed, guilty or angry. Gotcha questions often begin with “Why” or “How come,” and they account for about 45 percent of questions people ask, such as “I thought you were going to …” or “How could you have missed …?”
The secret is to keep your cool and turn these questions to your advantage by asking what’s bothering the asker and addressing that.
Regardless of the type of question, here are some tips that can help:
- Don’t rush your answer.
- Keep the focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.
- Encourage a dialogue with the person if you need more information or clarification.
- Use encouraging language, a positive calm tone of voice and a welcoming facial expression.
Tough questions are part of life, but handling them well will increase your reputation
