Please, Just Answer the F*** Question! 🤌

The way you answer questions says more about your leadership than you think.

To illustrate what this article is about, let’s start with a dinner scenario. Imagine you’ve invited your friend over for dinner, and they ask a simple question:

Friend: What are you making for dinner?

You: Well, yesterday I went grocery shopping at the store near my place. It’s just a quick walk away. While I was there, I chatted with Maria about what could be a good meal for four people. Then, I ran into a colleague and ended up inviting them too. But they can’t make it on Friday, so I had to move dinner to Saturday. I’m still missing a few ingredients, so I’ll have to go back to the store again. It’s going to take me the whole afternoon to cook everything.

Friend: Ok, but what are you cooking for dinner?

Let’s dissect what just happened:

• You mentioned going grocery shopping — which is obvious and irrelevant to the question.

• You said you’re cooking for more people — but that doesn’t answer what’s on the menu.

• You shared that plans were moved to Saturday — but didn’t confirm if your friend is okay with the new schedule.

• You mentioned how long it would take to cook — but didn’t clarify why that matters.

In short:

You delivered a monologue about the process without answering the core question.

Let’s be honest — how would you feel if someone responded to your question like that? Here are some thoughts that might run through your head:

• Does this person actually know what they’re cooking?

• Should I eat before coming over? I might stay hungry.

• Are they hinting that they need help?

• Am I supposed to bring something?

• Should I mention my food allergies now?

Now, imagine your friend is your stakeholder, a senior leader, or a peer. While you’re rambling about the logistics, they’re sitting there thinking: Can you please, just answer the question?

Cut the Process Talk and Get to the Answer

Now, let me share a first-hand experience that opened my eyes to how damaging it can be when Product leaders and managers focus on the process instead of the substance.

A product manager had been working for over a quarter on a new opportunity — a big bet. During a monthly review meeting, the VP asked a straightforward question: What do you think should be the first solution? What’s your recommended approach?

The product manager’s response was a long-winded explanation of:

• Who they met with and how many interviews the cross-functional team conducted.

• When those meetings happened and what was discussed.

• How they compiled a document capturing all insights.

Nothing substantial. Nothing that answered the actual question.

Our VP’s response was what really stuck with me: While all of that sounds like a regular day-to-day job of a product manager, I’m more interested in what approach you recommend, not how you ran the process.

What impressed me was her directness. After that meeting, I started paying closer attention to how other Product leaders and managers responded to questions. I realized — average or struggling PMs often get lost in explaining the process. Great PMs? They get straight to the substance.

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Before diving into the impact of not answering questions directly, let’s outline what we’ll cover in the rest of the article:

• The consequences of not answering questions clearly, from trust erosion to missed opportunities

• Techniques to assess and improve your ability to respond effectively

• Practical strategies for refining your response skills over time, including anticipating questions and using memorable examples.

• How to handle situations when you don’t have a clear answer yet, without resorting to process-heavy explanations.

This is a free edition of The Product Voyagers. To unlock full playbooks, tools, templates and expert takes — go Prime.

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What’s at Stake When You Don’t Answer the Question

Failing to provide a clear, substantial answer when asked a direct question can have serious consequences, not just for product managers or their leaders, but for the whole product organization. Here’s what I observed after that meeting:

1. Erosion of Trust: When you dodge the actual question and go off on a tangent about logistics, stakeholders may start to question your credibility. They might think you’re hiding something or that you don’t have a clear grasp of the problem.
   

2. Perception of Weakness: When PMs don’t provide clear answers, it can signal indecision or lack of confidence. Leaders want to see conviction and clarity — not rambling explanations about who you spoke to and when.
   

3. Frustration and Confusion: Imagine being on the receiving end of these vague responses. It’s confusing, time-consuming, and frankly, frustrating. The longer you speak without actually answering the question, the less patience your audience has.
   

4. Lost Opportunities: When you fail to clearly articulate your recommended approach or solution, you miss an opportunity to showcase your strategic thinking and influence key decisions. You’re essentially forfeiting your seat at the table.
   

5. Higher Stakes for Product Leaders: The higher your role, the more impactful your answers become. For product leaders reporting to senior executives, unclear or process-heavy responses can be perceived as a sign of weak leadership. Worse, it can cast doubt on the entire product organization’s direction, making it seem as though strategic alignment and clarity are lacking at the top.

How to Assess and Improve Your Question-Answering Skills

Now that we’ve explored how damaging unclear answers can be, let’s shift to the practical side — how can you assess and improve your ability to answer questions effectively as a Product leader or manager?

1. Identify Your Default Response Pattern: Start by observing your own responses in meetings or emails. Are you prone to explaining the process rather than the substance? Do you tend to over-explain or go off on tangents? Record or jot down some of your recent responses and analyze them for clarity and conciseness.

2. Ask Yourself, ‘What is the Actual Question?’: Before responding, take a moment to reframe the question in your own words. What is the core information being asked? Strip it down to its essence and focus on answering that specific point. If not sure, ask to clarify what the actual question is.

3. Use the ‘One-Sentence Summary’ Technique: Practice summarizing your answer in one sentence before diving into further details. This helps you stay focused and prevents you from wandering off-topic. For example, if the question is, What is the recommended solution for this problem?, your response could be, “The best initial solution is to implement X because it addresses A, B, and C.”

4. Structure Your Response with the ‘Answer-Then-Explain’ Framework: Start with the direct answer, then back it up with relevant context. This way, you ensure the most important information is addressed first, minimizing the risk of losing your audience’s attention. Especially when speaking with senior leaders, keep it concise and direct. If they want more details, they will ask follow-up questions. This approach keeps the conversation dynamic, ensures you stay on point, and demonstrates that you are in control of your narrative.

5. Ask for Feedback: After key meetings or presentations, ask for direct feedback on how clearly you answered questions. Did your stakeholders feel their questions were fully addressed? Were there areas where they wanted more clarity?

Building the Habit: Getting Better at Answering Questions Over Time

Improving how you answer questions isn’t a one-time fix — it’s a continuous practice that requires intentional effort. Here’s how to get better over time:

1. Anticipate Your Audience’s Questions: Before any meeting, review the agenda and think through the types of questions each stakeholder might ask. Senior executives often focus on strategic direction, outcomes, and risks. Peers might ask for tactical details, while cross-functional partners could focus on dependencies and timelines. The more you anticipate, the more prepared you’ll be to respond with clarity.

2. Prepare for the Most Asked Questions: In product roles, certain questions are almost inevitable. You can expect to hear:

   • What is the problem we’re solving?

   • What is the proposed solution?

   • What are the risks and how are we mitigating them?

   • How does this align with our strategic priorities?

   • What metrics are we tracking to measure success?

   Develop concise, ready-to-go responses for these core questions. This preparation ensures you’re not caught off guard and can deliver substantial answers on the spot.

3. Study Other Effective Communicators: Pay attention to how senior leaders or high-performing PMs handle tough questions. Do they frame their answers in a specific way? Are they succinct but impactful? Take notes and incorporate those techniques into your own style.

4. Role Play and Practice: Regularly practice with peers or mentors. Ask them to play the role of a skeptical stakeholder, a senior executive, or a peer PM. This kind of simulation can highlight where you tend to over-explain, go off-topic, or fail to directly answer the question.

5. Review and Reflect: After key meetings or presentations, take five minutes to reflect on how you handled questions. Did you provide clear, actionable answers? Did you notice yourself defaulting to the process instead of the substance? Adjust based on what you observe.

In the next section, we will address how to handle situations when you genuinely don’t have a clear answer yet and how to avoid falling into the trap of over-explaining.

Handling Situations When You Don’t Have a Clear Answer

Even the most prepared leaders or managers will face situations where they don’t have a concrete answer yet. Here’s how to handle these moments without falling into the trap of over-explaining:

1. Bridge to Related Information: If you don’t have the specific answer, share insights that still add value. For example, “I don’t have the final solution yet, but here’s what we’ve observed about the problem so far and this is how it’s shaping our approach.”

2. Use a Story or Example: Illustrate a similar situation to anchor your response in a way that’s easy to recall. For instance, “We faced a similar challenge in Project X. What worked there was [approach], and we’re exploring if it could apply here too.”

3. Acknowledge the Uncertainty: If you don’t have the answer yet, be upfront. Instead of rambling about the process, say something like, “I don’t have the exact answer yet, but I’m working on gathering the data and will follow up by [specific date].”

4. Set Follow-Up Expectations: Be clear about when and how you’ll provide the answer. For example, “I will align with the team this week and update you by Friday.” This demonstrates that you’re in control of the situation, even when the answer isn’t immediately available.

5. Stay Composed: Short, confident responses convey that you’re composed and intentional, not scrambling to justify your work. Avoid filling the silence with unnecessary explanations.

With these strategies, you can maintain credibility and control over the conversation — even when you don’t have all the answers right away.

Cut the Fluff: Answer the Question, Not the Process

Answering questions effectively is more than just providing information — it’s about conveying clarity, confidence, and strategic thinking. Whether you’re a PM or a product leader, the ability to cut through the noise and get to the substance is a crucial skill that strengthens trust, enhances influence, and ensures your message lands as intended.

Remember, the next time someone asks you a question, pause, think, and focus on what they really need to know — not just what you’ve been doing.