How do you answer hostile or controversial questions effectively? With calm confidence.
- Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
- May 2
- 4 min read
What do you consider a hostile question? Or a controversial question? Can you describe them?
Do you feel prepared to respond if you receive either type?
I’m sure you would agree that hostile and controversial questions can be challenging to answer.
This is the fifth post in a series on answering questions effectively:
The first post provided the 6 essential steps for answering questions effectively as found in Chapter 36 of Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide.
The second post explored how to effectively respond to questions when we don’t know the answer.
The third post described how to respond to questions that are often labeled as “stupid.”
The fourth post described how to respond to a variety of difficult questions.
This post describes how to respond to hostile or controversial questions. It shares an updated excerpt from Chapter 36. Let’s take a closer look at what we mean by each type and examine the best ways to respond.
What do we mean by a hostile question?
A hostile question is characterized by the intent in which it is posed rather than the content of the question being asked. Hostility may stem from harboring ill will toward a message, a stance, or the organization involved.
The person asking a hostile question may be motivated by strong opposition to the communication topic and be seeking an argument more than an answer because hostility is more than disagreement. An audience member can disagree without being hostile. Hostility is expressed in an unfriendly and possibly uncivil manner.
An example of a hostile question is one that demonstrates distrust and ill will toward food industries, such as, “Aren’t all food companies just motivated by profits and don’t care at all about making food healthy?”
What is a recommended approach to respond to hostile questions?
When questioners are hostile, our natural response will be to feel defensive. However, for the communicator to demonstrate hostility in any way will be counterproductive. Instead of matching their hostility, acknowledge and respect them with calm confidence.
First, have them identify themselves and then use their name naturally in your response – it will soften the hostility. Try to determine the reason for their hostility.
Allow them to briefly state their viewpoint since that is likely what they want to do. Thank them for their input and state, “(Audience member’s name), I respect your opinion and see that you feel strongly about the potential for profits to motivate food industries over health,” as that may be the only appropriate response.
If there is a factual response to their question, give it objectively, without emotion. Or agree to discuss the subject in private later. In this situation, any specific answer by the communicator will not usually calm the questioner. Help them feel heard, even though there is disagreement.
What do we mean by a controversial question?
A controversial question is related to a topic that is surrounded by intense public disagreement. Controversial questions can be asked with hostility or with respect, so what makes it controversial is the subject in question.
A controversial question is one that the audience member has heard differing views, such as, “Are foods containing GMOs safe for my family, or, should I only purchase ones that are free of GMOs?”
When asked with respect, the person is likely genuinely curious about your expertise to alleviate their confusion. Or they may be seeking your validation of their opinion about the controversy in question.
What is a recommended approach to respond to controversial questions?
When someone asks a question about a controversial topic, begin by identifying the reason behind the question. To find out what prompted the person to ask the question described above, probe with a return question, such as, “Did you recently read or hear something that sparked your concerns about the safety of GMOs?”
The better the communicator understands the questioner’s viewpoint, the better the odds of formulating a suitable response. Maybe they haven’t heard anything specific, they just don’t understand what GMOs are and think they sound scary. A clear and concise explanation could help alleviate their fears:
“Genetically modified organisms are those in which a gene from another species has been introduced to make the GMO version higher in nutrients or hardier, meaning they’re more resistant to disease or tolerant to extremes in weather such as drought. Genetic modification has not been shown to make them unsafe for us to eat.”
People often hold strong differing viewpoints on controversial topics. Avoid restating a conflicting point of view as that will reinforce it. Instead, look for common ground. This allows for an identification of areas of agreement and helps in the formation of a response that is less likely to become an argument.
For example, you can agree that having safe food for our families is paramount. That is your common ground. When it comes to questions about food ingredients and safety, people vary greatly in their perception of risk. Respect someone’s desire for caution.
If they seek further clarification, don’t overwhelm the questioner with too much information. Provide solid evidence and examples for context.
When it comes to controversial topics, the best course may be recognizing a difference of opinions and agreeing to disagree.
Check out this post for more on handling controversial conversations.
Questions can be hostile, controversial, or a combination of both. When responding to hostility or controversy, maintain a calm, confident delivery.
For more, check out these previous posts about responding to questions effectively, which link you to 5 tips for mastering the Q and A:
"The best fighter is never angry." ~ Tao Te Ching
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