Turning Tough Questions into Opportunities: How Training Helped an L&D Leader Stay in Control
About the Client:
Sally Koppy, Senior Instructional Designer
Industry: Pharma
The Challenge: A Tough Question at the Worst PossibleTime
Presenters aren't just responsible for delivering content —they must also manage their audience. For Sally Koppy, Senior Instructional Designer at OptumRx and a leader within the Association for Talent Development(ATD), this challenge became all too real during her presentation, "Breaking Paradigms: Designing with Microlearning," at an ATD Kansas City Conference.
Just two minutes into her session, as she introduced herself and outlined the presentation's value, an attendee raised his hand and asked,“Are you going to explain why Microlearning doesn’t lead to any learning at all?”
With 70 instructional designers, trainers, and consultants watching, Sally faced a pivotal moment. How she responded would determine whether she maintained control or lost her audience's confidence.
The Solution: Techniques to Stay Calm and in Control
Sally’s response was guided by training she had recently completed in Pinnadience — a move that bought her a moment to collect her thoughts while ensuring everyone heard it. Then she replied, “May I return to cle Performance Company's two-day Effective communication skills workshop. The course taught techniques for managing audience interactions, especially during challenging Q&A moments.
Using these strategies, Sally calmly repeated the question to the entire auyour question at the end of the presentation?” The attendee agreed.
This approach allowed Sally to maintain control of the session and avoid getting derailed. She continued with her presentation, methodically explaining what micro-learning is, what it isn’t, and when it’s most effective. Throughout the session, attendees shared their own success stories, further validating her message.
True to her promise, Sally revisited the attendee’s question at the end of the session. When she asked if his concerns had been addressed, he admitted they had. He acknowledged he had misunderstood micro-learning’s purpose and realized it wasn’t the right fit for his training needs.
The Outcome: Confidence, Control, and Audience Respect
Looking back, Sally credits her Pinnacle training for helping her navigate a potentially disruptive moment. “The question had the potential to throw off my entire presentation, but my Pinnacle training really paid off in this situation,” she said. “I was able to calmly answer the question and manage the situation.”
Her handling of the moment didn’t go unnoticed. Post-session feedback highlighted how well she managed challenging questions. Her poise reinforced her credibility as an expert and established trust with her audience.
This experience underscores the importance of preparation and the power of learning to manage tough questions. With the right tools, even the most disruptive moments can be transformed into opportunities to demonstrate confidence, expertise, and control.
The Challenge: A Tough Question at the Worst PossibleTime
Presenters aren't just responsible for delivering content —they must also manage their audience. For Sally Koppy, Senior InstructionalDesigner at OptumRx and a leader within the Association for Talent Development(ATD), this challenge became all too real during her presentation,"Breaking Paradigms: Designing with micro-learning," at an ATD KansasCity Conference.
Just two minutes into her session, as she introduced herself and outlined the presentation's value, an attendee raised his hand and asked,“Are you going to explain why micro-learning doesn’t lead to any learning at all?”
With 70 instructional designers, trainers, and consultants watching, Sally faced a pivotal moment. How she responded would determine whether she maintained control or lost her audience's confidence.
The Solution: Techniques to Stay Calm and in Control
Sally’s response was guided by training she had recently completed in Pinnacle Performance Company's two-day Effective CommunicationSkills workshop. The course taught techniques for managing audience interactions, especially during challenging Q&A moments.
Using these strategies, Sally calmly repeated the question for the entire audience — a move that bought her a moment to collect her thoughts while ensuring everyone heard it. Then she replied, “May I return to your question at the end of the presentation?” The attendee agreed.
This approach allowed Sally to maintain control of the session and avoid getting derailed. She continued with her presentation, methodically explaining what micro-learning is, what it isn’t, and when it’s most effective. Throughout the session, attendees shared their own success stories, further validating her message.
True to her promise, Sally revisited the attendee’s question at the end of the session. When she asked if his concerns had been addressed, she admitted they had. He acknowledged he had misunderstood micro-learning’s purpose and realized it wasn’t the right fit for his training needs.
The Outcome: Confidence, Control, and Audience Respect
Looking back, Sally credits her Pinnacle training for helping her navigate a potentially disruptive moment.
“The question had the potential to throw off my entire presentation, but my Pinnacle training really paid off in this situation,” she said. “I was able to calmly answer the question and manage the situation.”
Her handling of the moment didn’t go unnoticed. Post-session feedback highlighted how well she managed challenging questions. Her poise reinforced her credibility as an expert and established trust with her audience.
This experience underscores the importance of preparation and the power of learning to manage tough questions. With the right tools, even the most disruptive moments can be transformed into opportunities to demonstrate confidence, expertise, and control.