End confident responses with action

This week, the Daily Tip discussed the components of a confident response, to any question. We start by grabbing the listener’s attention, then we deliver our main message, followed by proof points, and we finish with the final component, some type of action. 

According to Judith Humphrey, author of Impromptu: Leading in the Moment, “every answer must have a purpose—it should result in action. Otherwise, why speak?”

In a job interview, this could be, “I look forward to hearing from you about the next steps.” This call to action makes clear you assume there is a next step as you move toward being hired.

In response to a question about a project update, you might say: “I’m glad you asked. We’re on schedule and under budget…and we will have some exciting news next week.”

Or, close with... “The team is really excited about the impact this project will have.”

In responding to a question about quarterly results, you might close with: “We expect to see the same strong performance through the rest of the year.”

Ending with action shows that you are proactive and action-oriented.

That’s a confident response.