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How to Gracefully Deflect a Question You Don’t Want to Answer
The classic politician move can also be a powerful tool for real life
In In the canon of iconic political deflections, one moment stands out.
It was 1984, and then-73-year-old Ronald Reagan was facing questions about his age in his campaign against a younger opponent. “At the debate against Walter Mondale, when they asked, Reagan said, ‘I won’t make age an issue, or exploit my opponent’s youth and inexperience,’” says Ron Bratt, CEO of the public-speaking summer camp organization Capitol Debate. “It became this really famous deflection.” And as history shows, it worked.
The ability to punt on uncomfortable questions is an essential skill for any political candidate, but deflection is a powerful communication tool outside of the political arena, too. Anyone who’s ever sat through a job interview knows the feeling of being hit with a question you don’t want to answer too honestly. And the occasional well-deployed subject change can be a real relationship saver: “A lot of people are trying to avoid talking about politics right now,” says Stephanie Smith, a psychologist based in Colorado. “Sometimes just to preserve a friendship, or just to not get in a big heavy discussion, even if you agree with the person, you can deflect.”
