“Do you prefer coffee or tea? ” “What is your favorite show?” “What do you think about when you’re taking a shower? “ These types of personal questions are one of my favorite ways to interact with folks in an audience. They may put a person on the spot, but not in a way that a knowledge question does. (Knowledge questions can embarrass someone because they don’t know the answer.) Just be careful.
You don’t want to ask too personal of a question. The shower questions is about as personal as I’ll get. And the way I set up the question makes it analytical so it isn’t to invasive.
If you start using these types of questions, be sure to tie them into the topic at hand. I sometimes ask a few men in the audience “How did you get married; in a church, at home or a synagogue, etc.?” After they respond, I go back around and ask them “Why did you get married?” The answers are usually funny. But that’s not the main reason I ask the questions. I use them to show that emotions drive our decisions—even one as important as why you get married. Then I go on to explain how emotions can cause us to make dangerous decisions too. (One time someone yelled out “What? Getting married isn’t a dangerous decision!”)
Whenever I ask personal questions, I make sure to choose someone I’ve met before my talk that I can tell won’t mind being singled out. And of course, I always make the exchange lighthearted.
If there are personal questions you ask your audience during your safety presentations. I’d love to hear about them. richard@makesafetyfun.com
‘till next time.
Richard Hawk
