<article : CNBC>

The 17 year old girl who asked Clinton, at an MTV town hall, said, "All the world's dying to know."

But the world wasn't dying to know; most of the world didn't even want to think about it.

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney was asked what he wears to bed. "As little as possible," he said.

Most of the world didn't want to know that either.

Why do leaders answer these questions?

Well, to appear approachable, or likeable, or real.

The message of the Clinton presidency, wrote columnist Bob Greene, was that, "The president is just a guy. There's no distance between the president and the people."

But a leader needs distance. It's hard to imagine a U.S president before Clinton talking about underwear. Now, these questions are routine.

I usually advise business leaders to welcome questions, to step into them—literally, take a step forward—and to stay loose and relaxed.

But when the question is inappropriate, do the opposite: hold back, even step back.

You can be light, but firm. "Thanks for that intriguing question," you might say. Then smile, and say (in a friendly tone of voice), "I'm not going anywhere near that one."

Or, even simpler: "Thanks. Next question."

The other day, Jerry Seinfeld was interviewed on radio. "How many Porsches do you own?" he was asked.

Seinfeld has a sizable collection, but he refused to answer.

He told the interviewer, basically, "You're a man of stature and reputation, and I hold you to a higher standard than that question."

Good answer.

Tip: When asked a question, you've got options. One is to decline.