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When Microsoft CEO
Steve Ballmer laughed and scoffed at the iPhone in a recent
televised interview, many felt that he came off as defensive.
To see the interview click here.
At Speechworks we
have to agree. However, we also felt that he recovered well by
focusing on the value of his products.
If you watch the
interview, Ballmer violated a key rule of handling a tough question;
he mocked his competition.
By laughing at the
iPhone, he seemed to be saying that the iPhone wouldn’t be a serious
competitor. And while he may prove right in the end, he now risks
having that interview thrown back in his face if the iPhone becomes
a smash success. He also risked alienating the questioner by
suggesting with his laugh that the question was silly.
Two steps to
handling tough questions
When we work with
clients on how to answer tough questions, we recommend a two-step
process.
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Acknowledge the
legitimacy of the question and the underlying concern.
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Quickly show how
you can address the concerns.
Instead of laughing
at the iPhone, we would have suggested a calmer response like, “The
iPhone looks to be an innovative addition to the marketplace. And no
doubt some people might find it a great tool. However, we feel that
we have a strong more reasonably-priced answer to the iPhone. . . .
.”
If you go back and
look at the interview, Ballmer, perhaps remembering his media
training, recovered well, acknowledging that the iPhone “may sell very
well”. Then he began to address how his products are well
positioned to compete in the marketplace.
However, that
sneering laugh is probably all that people will remember.
At Speechworks we
help our clients learn how to communicate in a way that connects and
persuades. If you’re interested in becoming a great communicator
give us a call at 404-266-0888 or check out our website at
www.speechworks.net. |
