Learn to handle unexpected presentation challenges professionally, from technical issues to difficult questions, while maintaining composure and credibility.
This is Lesson 12 of The English Farm's Professional English Courses presentation series. Learn how to handle unexpected challenges and stay composed during business presentations. Master the professional responses that maintain credibility when things don't go as planned.
Discuss the following with your teacher. If you don't know what the bolded phrases or words mean, ask your teacher!
- Why is it important to stay composed when something goes wrong during a presentation?
- How can you handle questions or objections without sounding defensive?
- What phrases can you use to bring the focus back to your main message if someone interrupts or goes off topic?
These recovery skills are essential when you learn professional English for high-stakes business situations.
Look at the following scenarios and respond to the tasks.
Practicing these responses helps develop the professional English skills that distinguish confident presenters from nervous ones.
Scenario 1: Executive challenges a number
“That 20% improvement seems optimistic—how confident are you in that figure?”
Your task: Respond in a way that acknowledges the concern while reinforcing your confidence in the data.
Scenario 2: Slide doesn’t load
You're about to show a key chart, but the slide doesn't display properly.
Your task: Smoothly address the issue and keep the presentation moving.
Scenario 3: You’re interrupted with a “What’s the point?”
Halfway through your second point, someone says: “Can we just get to the main recommendation?”
Your task: Stay composed and reframe your message without losing your position.
The following table gives a few problems that may come up during a presentation. Can you think of other example phrases you can use?
| Scenario | Language Function | Example Phrases |
|---|---|---|
| A number or assumption is challenged | Clarify & defend politely | - “That’s a fair question. Based on [data/method], we’re confident in this estimate.” - “That figure is based on [source/method]. Let me walk you through it.” - “Great point—let me explain how we arrived at that number.” |
| Visual doesn’t load / technical issue | Reassure and keep moving | - “While we resolve the technical issue, I’ll walk you through the key message.” - “The most important takeaway is...” - “Let me paint a quick picture for you instead.” |
| You're interrupted or rushed | Refocus and summarize | - “Absolutely—here’s the main takeaway.” - “To go straight to the point: [summary].” - “Let’s fast-forward to the core recommendation.” |
| A tough question catches you off guard | Buy time or pivot | - “That’s a great question—let me take a second to give you a complete answer.” - “Let me double-check that for accuracy and follow up.” - “That’s outside our scope today, but I’d be happy to look into it.” |
| You make a mistake (data or wording) | Recover gracefully | - “Apologies, let me clarify that…” - “Correction—that figure should be…” - “To be precise, what I meant to say was…” |
| The conversation goes off track | Bring it back politely | - “Let’s bring this back to the main focus…” - “That’s relevant—now let’s connect it to our core message…” - “To refocus: our key recommendation is…” |
These professional English techniques help you maintain authority and composure when presenting to demanding executive audiences.
A note on using humour
Humour is a GREAT way to defuse tension and build rapport without undermining credibility. It works when the problem is minor or technical, there's already trust and rapport with the audience, and it's not sarcastic or risky. DO NOT use humour when the issue is serious or impacts decision-making, and if the joke shifts blame, sounds dismissive, or draws attention to the lack of preparation.
Examples:
- "Of course the one slide I rehearsed the most is the one that disappears—classic tech karma. Let me talk you through the key numbers while we reload.”
- “Well, I had a beautiful chart here, but let’s use our imagination for now.”
- "Tech hiccups keep us all humble—let me just explain it directly."
- "I guess even PowerPoint knows it's Friday!"
You start your 10–15 minute presentation confidently in front of the VP of Strategy, two senior managers, and analysts from the client’s side. However, halfway through:
-
Technical glitch: The slides freeze and won’t advance for a minute.
-
Tough question: The VP asks a detailed question about a potential risk that you hadn’t anticipated.
-
Distracted audience: One of the senior managers keeps checking their phone, and an analyst looks confused and whispers to a colleague.
What will you say?
As you can see, remaining calm and composed through your language use and manner is crucial when a presentation gets derailed. Identify an area you would like to work on the most and chat with your teacher about how you might apply some of the techniques from above.
You can now handle unexpected presentation challenges while maintaining your professional composure and credibility. These professional English skills will help you turn potential disasters into demonstrations of your expertise and leadership under pressure.