Bridging Techniques Part 2

Re-directing a Question — What to do when you don't know the answer

What do you do when you only have 10 seconds to respond, and you are asked a question you don't know the answer to?

You can, of course, say "I don't know." But you will miss an opportunity to say something, and run the risk of looking inept. So, if you can't give the "answer", give a response. A response is something else relevant or helpful to your listener.

This technique is a form of bridging, and in this case it helps to gracefully re-direct the focus to something you can talk about with credibility and comfort.

For example, you might be asked the question: "What are the keys to success in the Russian market?" — and you happen to know nothing about the Russian market!

Rather than say, "I don't know", you could bridge to a related, or more general, topic:

• "Our experience with new markets suggests you need three things: First ... Second ... Third ... — and I imagine the Russian market is similar"  or
• "We don’t have a lot of first-hand knowledge of the Russian market, but our success in China tells us that the key is getting the right partners"

The key to a "response" is bridging to something you feel confident talking about. You can then decide to give a short reply, or a detailed answer.

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