How To Deflect Unwanted Questions From Friends,relatives &acquaintances

Rihana · Nov 10, 2022

Vedhavalli said: ↑

#What's your technique to deflect questions you don't want to answer?
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The thread is a year old but I am bumping it up as in the recent past I've unwittingly crafted a neat response to unwanted questions. It's so effective and simple that I actually want a few nosy questions to try it on.

It builds upon these responses:

13. It's too early to comment about
...
15. I will get back to you on that
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The above are good but you still look like you are evading the question. Make them evade your answer. My latest method is an improvement and has three parts:
1) Acknowledge the question and the asker.
2) Say there is no short answer or no answer right now and suggest talking about it at a future time.
3) Tell the asker to choose from a set of times that work for you.

Examples:
1) You know, that's a good question. But I have no short answer. We should talk about it next week. After dinner or just after lunch are best times for me.
2) I've been wanting to talk about exactly this with you! When's a good time for you? Weekends before the family wakes up works best for me.
3) Good you asked! I wanted to talk about it with you myself. Would this weekend be good to talk about it?
4) For whatsapp nosy questions - Funny you should ask, I wanted to talk to you about it myself. Too much to type and this stupid auto-complete. Can we talk tomorrow?
5) Or a simpler: Now's not a good time. Can we talk about it next week? Monday and Wednesday are best days for me.

In short: postpone your response to the future and require the asker to set aside specific time for you. 99% of people won't set up a future time. If they do setup a time, you have enough time before that to prepare.

drdiva · Nov 18, 2022

A simple smile can b used to evade the question..sometimes the person asking has been good & friendly to you so you cant b rude.....but giving an entirely stupid answer is also an option..like so many people even maid ask me how much this house costed us My answer is i dont know i didnt do the transactions.. For delayed pregnancy people used to say now i should plan one..i used to b sarcastic ..like thanx for telling..i didnt know its high time we should plan
Just look at the stupidity of questions and audacity of random people to ask..

Thyagarajan · Nov 19, 2022

Many of company shareholders present in AGMs always ask unwanted yet thought provoking questions . The executives on stage would answer questions relevant to his or her area of operation. It is Often i had seen much to discomfiture of the senior executives on stage a young lady Pose a tricky question first and caught them unaware of their answers when shehad put her second question. But company AGM’s are good place to learn how do deflect or dodge a question meaning yes and no at thesametime.

Other day, friend of my son out of the blue asked me a question, “uncle - how much monthly pension you receive?” While my son was taken aback, I answered his friend’s question with anothe rquestion. I asked him, “ in what way it is going to help you - tell me reason what you want to do with that information?
Regardless of convenient or inconvenient question, best way to deflect is to ask always counter question.
A staff in my office when observed that he is daily late comer, questiond for his daily late coming. He responded, “sir, am i daily coming late?” With every question, he was answering with another question. It is best way to dodge answering inconvenient interrogations. This person after sometime resigned but a decade later found occupying sitting with echelons on the stage answering question of shareholder in an AGM. I was simply astounded.

Dishaa · Dec 5, 2023

Just got to go through this post.

It's just very interesting, so bumping this post again.

Need more suggestions if this type of questions is asked by your in-laws. To later make comparison and discuss behind your back with the extended relative's.