Table of Contents
Chapter titles with
subheads
Chapter 1: Key Steps
in Mastering Tough, Trick or Hostile Questions
1.1 Taking Steps to Master Hostile Questions;
1.2 Understanding Tough Questions Leads to Mastery
1.3 Learn the Advantage of a Response over an Answer
1.4 Settings Goals -- Maintain, Sway, and Neutralize
1.5 Taking Control by Bridging to Your Goals
1.6 Acknowledging Mistakes to Get Past Them
1.7 Showing Understanding To Gain More Credibility
1.8 De-personalize Responses To Reduce Confrontation
1.9 The Tactical Advantage of Telling the Truth
1.10 Building Skills By Preparation, Practice, Patience
1.11 Use Worksheet, Tool Kit To Expand Repertoire
1.12 Be Patient To Avoid Discouragement
Chapter 2:
Bridging Formulas That Really Work
2.1 Removing Barriers with 3-Step Explanations
2.2 Creating Rapport with Feel-Felt-Found Formula
2.3 Starting Safely with Past-Present-Future Formula
2.4 Fast Response with Problem-to-Solution Formula
2.5 Creating Super Responses with 4-Step PCST
2.6 Defend Against Ignorance with SIA Formula
2.7 Generalities or Specifics: All-Purpose Antidotes
2.8 Control Damage with 'Wrong-Right-And-What-It-All-Means
2.9 Talk About the Question Is Last-Resort Bridge
2.10 When All Else Fails -- Stall Some Way, Some How
2.11 If Nothing Else, Take Control When Under Fire
Chapter 3:
Exploiting Weaknesses in Tough Questions
3.1 The Benefits of Ducking Hypothetical Questions
3.2 Side Stepping the Trap of Speculative Questions
3.3 Grab Control of Questions Based on Misquotes
1.4 Disarm Leading Questions Aimed at You
3.5 Beating 'Coatholder' Questions Without Fighting
3.6 Making Limited Choice Questions Work for You
3.7 Answering Helpless Victims Without Feeling Guilty
3.8 Exerting Power Over Multiple Part Questions
3.9 Nullifying Insults of Attack Questions
Chapter 4:
Don't Throw Fuel on the Fire: Keeping Incendiary Words out
of Your Responses
4.1 You Aren't Paying Attention.
4.2 You Should Have.
4.3 That's Irrelevant.
4.4 You must. You Have To.
4.5 That's Not What I said.
Chapter 5:
Defending Company Policies Even When You Don't Agree With Them
5.1 How can you defend such a terrible policy?
5.2 Why don't you just admit that this is totally wrong?
5.3 Why didn't you just tell them NO?
5.4 How can you expect us to go along with this?
5.5 Are you just going to lie about what you really think?
Chapter 6:
Establishing Your Authority with Former Co-Workers
6.1 Well, Boss, what would you like us peons to do
today?
6.2 You used to do this work and you had the same complaints. So why are
you deaf to our complaints now?
6.3 Whose side are you own now, ours or theirs? It didn’t take you long
to sell out, did it?
6.4 Has all your authority gone to your head?
6.5 Have you forgotten what it's like to do real work here?
Chapter 7:
Deflecting Sniper Attacks To Protect Your Back
7.1 You’re finished with the project, aren’t you?
7.2 Who does the client blame for losing his business? (The sniper knows
the client blames you)
7.3 What's causing so many staff problems in your division?
Chapter 8:
Collaring Staff Who Go Over Your Head
8.1 Are you saying I can’t talk to the top boss? Just
you?
8.2 You’re hardly ever around! How could I check with you when you’re
so busy?
8.3 How was I supposed to know you wanted this information directly?
8.4 Aren’t we supposed to have open communication here
so we can talk with anyone?
8.5 Do you want me to check every little thing with you first, even if it
causes delays?
8.6 Are you saying I should not respond to the vice president's request
but just give you the information?
Chapter 9:
Defending Your Decision To Promote Younger Workers
9.1 I've waited a long time for this chance. Don't you
think it was my turn?
9.2 Why should I bother working hard anymore? What does it get me?
9.3 How can you pass me by when I know ten time as much as he does?
9.4 How can you possibly call this a 'fair' decision?
9.5 Isn't this age discrimination?
Chapter 10:
Handling Diversity Questions Effectively
10.1 Why are you forcing me to take “sensitivity”
training when I’m not a bigot?
10.2 You said we are all prejudiced. Are you saying I'm a racist?
10.3 Hasn't there been enough special treatment of certain people already?
10.4 When are we going to get special treatment?
10.5 You're not black or a woman. How can you pretend to understand what
it's like to be me?
Chapter 11: Good
Reasons Why Didn't Do More?
11.1 Why aren’t you making more progress?
11.2 Why didn’t you act sooner?
11.3 Couldn’t you have done more?
Chapter 12: Stay
Safe while Responding to an Overly Demanding Boss
12.1 Don't you think you should be more efficient?
12.2 Your work isn't that tough, so why can't you handle more?
12.3 Are you working at full capacity?
12.4 Are you putting in enough time?
Chapter 13:
Answering Up When Your Boss Forgets His Own Orders
13.1 Who told you to do a dumb thing like that?
13.2 Why did you proceed blindly without double checking with me first?
Chapter 14:
Defending Yourself During an Unfair Performance evaluation
14.1 Why are you giving everything to your staff to do?
Don't you think these duties are your responsibility?
14.2 How come I see so many of your staff standing around talking all the
time?
14.3 Why isn't your department catching and fixing mistakes before they
get out?
14.4 Why do you have an excuse for every mistake your
department makes?
14.5 Why don't you do your reports better so I don't have to fix them all
the time?
14.6 Wouldn't your section produce better quality and meet deadlines if
you trained them like you should?
14.7 Why don't you delegate more? Why do you try to do everything
yourself?
Chapter 15:
Disciplining a Disgruntled Employee Who Doesn’t Measure Up
15.1 So what have I done wrong now?
15.2 Are you going to fire me? Is that what this is about?
15.3 What facts do you have to back this up?
15.4 I’ve never had a problem at other jobs. How can
you say this is my fault?
15.5 All you’ve ever done is criticize me! Why don’t you ever
appreciate or draw attention to the good things I’ve done?
15.6 Why are you blaming me for other people’s mistakes?
15.7 Are you saying that I'm really that bad? That I'm one of the
goof-offs?
Chapter 16:
Facing Difficult Pleas When Firing New Employees
16.1 I can do better. Can't you give me more time?
16.2 I can't believe you're doing this to me! What valid reason
could you possibly have?
16.3 Some of my work is really good. Doesn't that count?
16.4 Will you give me a good job reference? You
owe me at least that, don't you?
16.5 Isn't there another job I could do here?
16.6 What am I supposed to do now? How am I going to put food on the table
and pay the rent if you fire me?
16.7 I can show you my work has been good. Can't we talk about how I well
I've done this year?
Chapter 17:
Survival Responses Amid Nepotism, Cronyism and Favoritism
17.1 This favoritism stinks and you know it. What really
happened?
17.2 How are the rest of us suppose to get ahead if we don’t have
political influence or sleep with the boss?
17.3 Why should we bother working so hard if it doesn't get us anyplace?
17.4 Why don't you just tell them to go to hell and then hire who you
really want?
Chapter 18: Hold
Firm While Insisting On Alcohol/Drug Abuse Help
18.1 Why are you picking on me? I’m not the only one
here who drinks!
18.2 You’re not a doctor! What makes you qualified to judge my health?
18.3 I’ve seen you drink at parties. Are you going to get treatment too?
18.4 I've seen you do your share of pot. How can you be
such a hypocrite and tell me to get treatment?
18.4 Who told you that crap? Have you been spying on me?
18.5 I do my work, so what business is it of yours what I do on my
personal time?
18.6 You’re going to ruin my work record. Do you
realize what you’re doing to me?
18.7 Come on, give me a break! This is the first time in 4 months that I’ve
come in a little hung over.
18.8 I tested negative--you’re going to be talking to my lawyer! Why
didn't you believe me when I told you I wasn’t a druggie?
18.9 I didn’t knock the scaffolding down on purpose.
What's the big deal if I'm the only person who got hurt?
18.10 You better watch your backside! Do you honestly think you can hurt
me like that and not pay for it someday?
Chapter 19:
Successfully Rebutting Dress Code Queries
19.1 Dress code! Come on, who cares about how we dress
as long as it's clean and neat?
19.2 If we can dress casually on Fridays, why not everyday?
19.3 If I do my job well, what difference does it make how much jewelry I
wear?
19.4 Why should I have to compromise my principles about
what I want to wear just to please a few narrow minded people?
Chapter 20:
Handling Customers Who Grill You about Employees' Mistakes
20.1 What are you going to do about that rude employee?
20.2 Don't you believe me? Are you going to take his word over mine?
20.3 How can you stay in business with such incompetence? Haven't you
trained these people to do anything right?
Chapter 21:
Serving Well Even When Accused of Being 'The Big Bad Bureaucrat'
21.1 Aren't you supposed to serve the public?
21.2 Are you saying I don't know what I'm talking about?
21.3 I've known the Governor a long time. Do you want me to tell him how
badly you treat the public?
21.4 Don't you care at all what happens to me?
Chapter 22:
Dodging Stings and Barbs When You Must Change Your Mind
22.1 Where has your head been? Why didn't you think of
this in the first place?
22.2 Why do you flip flop all the time?
22.3 How do I know you aren't going to change your mind -- again?
22.4 What else are you forgetting to tell us?
22.5 Are you going to take the blame for the wasted time and money?
Chapter 23:
Defending Change and Chaos It Creates
23.1 If it isn't broken, why do you insist on fixing it?
23.2 Am I supposed to train him so you can replace me later?
23.3 You promised me this schedule, so why change it now?
23.4 How come we weren't consulted before you changed
OUR procedures?
24.5 Why do you insist on making people here so unhappy?
23.6 Why is the company killing this town by transferring us out of state?
23.7 Why are you moving us to Human Resources after
we've been a part of Marketing decades?
23.8 I love working on this project. How can you take me off now when
we're so close to the launch date?
23.9 I worked hard to get the same perks as men before me, but now because
of some fad the company thinks you can put me out with the greenhorns in
open offices? What's your explanation?!
Chapter 24:
Rebutting Tough Questions To Keep Control of Unruly Meetings
24.1 I’m not involved in this issue. Why do I have to
be here?
24.2 Is this meeting going to be a waste of my time like all the others?
24.3 What's the use committing to anything when nothing ever happens
afterward?
24.4 No one listens to us anyway, so why should we
bother to meet and develop recommendations?
24.5 Why meet on a plan that they'll never approve?
24.6 Can I have more time so I can give full explanation?
Chapter 25:
Turning Around Taunts About Quality Improvement
25.1 Isn't QI just another management fad?
25.2 The Japanese are conformist and we're individualists. How can QI work
here?
25.3 Doesn't QI mean 'do more with less' while the big shots keep doing
the same old things?
25.4 Why are we being forced to improve quality here when others aren't?
25.5 I haven’t got enough time to do my work as it is! Where am I going
to find extra time to do this QI thing?
25.6 What's this baloney about teamwork? Are you saying we don’t work
well together?
25.7 This is a 'service' company. Don't you think QI is
for factories?
25.8 Why don't you managers go play QI games by yourselves and let us get
some work done?
25.9 Why should we make quality suggestions when you never listen to us?
25.10 If I gather data about the problems in my job, how
do I know you won't use it against me in my performance review?
Chapter 26:
Reducing the Agony from Painful Layoff Questions
26.1 How can the company be so callous towards people
who have given so much to it?
26.2 Why didn’t the company have the decency to tell people beforehand
so they could look for other jobs?
26.3 Can’t this be delayed until we’ve had an opportunity to get our
lives in order and find other jobs?
26.4 Couldn’t the company have
cut other costs?
26.5 How can you justify letting people go when the company has shown a
profit?!
26.6 Facing the news media
Chapter 27:
Forthright Replies To Calm Distrust after Layoffs
27.1 The company sure pulled a fast one on everybody. It
makes me wonder if I’m next?
27.2 How can you expect us to pretend as if nothing has happened?
27.3 You’ve just fired half the staff in my unit. How can you expect the
rest of us, who are already overworked, to take on their duties?
Chapter 28:
Avoiding the Damage of the Blame Game
28.1 Who’s To Blame for this?
28.2 Didn’t They Screw Up?
Chapter 29:
Shielding Yourself from Questions on Guilt and Lies
29.1 Oh, come on, don't you think it's obvious he's
guilty?
29.2 Don't You Think She's Lying?
Chapter 30:
Effective Responses When Accused of Hurting People
30.1 Isn't your (our) company responsible for hurting
these people?
30.2 Are you saying the company is not to blame?
30.3 If the company wasn't guilty, then why did you settle out of court?
Chapter 31:
Prevailing When You Bug People for Tardy Work
31.1 Why are you harassing me when you know I'm not
done?
31.2 Haven't you noticed we've gotten busier? How can I do more without
reducing quality and making mistakes?
31.3 How can I do ten things at once when I'm only one person?
Chapter 32:
Keeping the Lid on Despite Lurid Questions
32.1 Do you think it's fair to me that my ex-husband is
having an affair right here?
32.2 We want the dirt! Who started the affair? Do their spouses know?
32.3 This is totally against my values and religion. Why do I have to not
only accept but work with homosexual lovers?
32.4 I'm not having an affair with her! Are you going to find out who's
spreading these rumors?
Chapter 33: Why
in my Back Yard? Great Responses to NIMBYism
33.1 Why are putting that thing in my back yard?
33.2 How come you guys never build these things where the rich big shots
live? Why do you always avoid those areas?
33.3 How do we know this project is really needed?
33.4 Won't this pollute the environment?
33.5 Why should we trust what you are saying? Aren't they paying you to
say whatever they want?
