Presenting under fire: links to tips on keeping your cool

You thought you prepared your presentation well. But in spite of your best efforts, your presentation ended up being sabotaged by an audience member, who not only interrupted you on several occasions, but was rude while doing so. It seemed every time things started going well, this person mucked it up with an irrelevant comment or a sad attempt at humor, derailing your attempts to get your message across and connect with the audience. We all have our horror stories. But what to do about it next time?

Doing our homework and anticipating questions or "push-back" is crucial. But when the unexpected does happen, good general advice is to maintain our cool. Passion and enthusiasm are great, but displaying frustration or anger with an audience member rarely helps the situation; it usually makes things far worse. Keeping our own emotional response in check and displaying as much grace as we can is paramount.

Audiences can pick up on even the slightest bit of aggression or frustration. At the 2001 Macworld in New York Steve Jobs gave his usual "Jobsian-style" keynote. I was working on the Macworld floor during the keynote and could only hear the presentation in the background as I prepared for the day's show. Although Jobs' presentation was well over an hour long, what many people talked about after the keynote — and still talk about today — was Jobs "getting pissed-off" when he could not get the digital camera to work during the demo and "threw it" to an assistant. Really, it was not that big deal at all. But what it illustrates is how much even the tiniest hint of frustration (anger, etc.) will be picked up by an audience; sometimes it may be the only thing they remember about you. Not good.

Below, then, are links to articles which offer good advice for handling difficult audience members, even hecklers.

• Dealing with difficult speaking situations (work911.com)
• Advice from 3M on dealing with Hecklers (3M website)
• Dealing with disruptive audience members (from Speakernet News)
• How to handle difficult audiences (presentation-pointers.com)
• Handling various forms of audience disruption (refresher.com)
• Dealing with difficult audiences (effectivemeetings.com)
• Dealing with difficult negotiators (negotiatelikethepros.com)
• Presenting to difficult audiences (helpforschools.com)
• Dealing with tough questions (findarticles.com)
• Do's and don'ts for dealing with difficult people (findarticles.com)
• Dealing with difficult people (findarticles.com)
• Dealing with hecklers and "snipers" (findarticles.com)
• Advice for stand-up comics (jessethecomic.com)
• The BBC on why people heckle

Related books 
• A Survival Guide for Working With Humans: Dealing With Whiners, Back-Stabbers, Know-It-Alls, and Other Difficult People  
• Working with Emotional Intelligence
• Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion

Whatever you do, in civilized situations such as a business presentation or conference speech, never tell someone to "shut up!" Obviously this goes for interviews with the media as well. "Shut up" must be the single dumbest thing a person can say, even in a heated debate. Use this phrase, and you've lost. Watch this short TV interview with William Donohue to see how well he comes across when he yells "shut up" (twice).

Not everyone will like us or our message. Sometimes people will be unfair and even rude. That's life. But we are responsible for our own reputations so it's in our own best interest (and in the best interest of the audience at large) that we remain at all times courteous, gracious, and professional.

Comments

[xman]

Not entirely true that saying "shut up" is always wrong - it depends entirely on how you say it and crucially how the rest of the audience is responding to the heckler. You can say shut up, get a great laugh and go up a notch in the audience's esteem if you do it right. Of course you must never say it if you are angry because then you will definitely lose.

[Berin Loritsch]

Might I suggest another book for your reading pleasure? It's "Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion" by George J. Thompson, Ph. D and Jerry B Jenkins. It doesn't have much to do with presentations, however there is a bunch of practical wisdom for dealing with difficult types.

One observation the book has is that there are three types of people: nice people, difficult people, and wimps. Nice people aren't going to give you a hard time, they genuinely want to hear what you have to say. Difficult people always ask "Why?" or "What for?", and genuinely want answers to their questions. Wimps pretend to be nice people but are really difficult people in disguise. Those are the ones who do all the things you talked about.

The book has some good pointers for dealing with wimps and difficult people.

[Garr]

>Might I suggest another book for your reading pleasure? It's "Verbal Judo:

Excellent, Berin. I forgot about that one. Yes, very good suggestion.

[Dank]

I was always nervous about this. The only aspect of presenting that was holding me back was seeing people who I liked hearing speak when they were being heckled. My favourite reaction to this was when the heckler was asked 'oh, why don't you cover that in your session, when is that (as the presenter is pretending to be examining the day's schedule looking for the heckler's presentation)? Oh, ok then, why don't you just sit down then. Seems like you have a lot to say, why don't you sign up to speak next time so we can all benefit from your expertise'. Usually enought people chuckle that the heckler feels stupid and shuts up!

[Alvin]

Never say 'shut up' and never say 'you're wrong' to the audience. I heard this one guy do it once and he lost everyone of us on the spot.

[cool dog]

thanks for your sharing.sir!
so i share u some useful websites too.

http://www.buywowgold.org.cn wow gold|buy wow gold
http://www.buy-wow-gold.org.cn wow gold|buy wow gold

[runescape money]

http://www.runescape2store.com
http://www.vgoldsupply.com
http://www.runescapemoney-runescapegold.cn
http://www.vgoldseller.com/runescape-runescape-accounts-c-599_988.html

[tibiaitem]

We are a professional [url="http://www.gamezmoney.com/tibia-gold.htm"]Tibia gold[/url], [url="http://www.tibiaitem.com/tibia-items.htm"]tibia items[/url], [url="http://www.tibiaitem.com/powerleveling.htm"]tibia power leveling [/url]Store. Our tibia powerleveling professinal workers will level your character fast when you are at work or sleeping. We supply the cheapest tibia items, tibia money and tibia secure power leveling service. Level up now !
Notice : The highest level we can power leveling is level 100 !!
（If you have questions, please contact my MSN : gamekingj@hotmail.com）
if you are interesting in it ,please you can click http://www.tibiaitem.com/powerleveling.htm

[asdf]

world of warcraft power leveling wow power leveling power leveling runescape gold rs2 gold wow gold 直流电源 枕式包装机 纸巾机 oil painting 枕式包装机 湿巾包装机 纸巾包装机 湿巾机 纸巾机 枕包机 纸杯机 锥形纸杯机 paper cup machine paper cone machine

金属探测门 runescape money rs2 money dofus kamas thermoforming Equipment 印刷机械 bag making machine 产品设计 美标蝶阀 butterfly valve ball valve v-port ball valve 开关电源 储罐 中药提取设备 反应釜 酒精回收设备 乳化机 反应釜,真空干燥箱,提取罐,配料罐 反应釜 真空干燥箱 提取罐 酒精回收塔,中药提取设备,双效浓缩器,单效外循环浓缩器 酒精回收塔 中药提取设备 不锈钢储罐,小型提取浓缩机组,低温提取浓缩机组,热回流提取浓缩机组 不锈钢储罐

power leveling wow power leveling 包装机械 paper box making lines rigid paper box making lines paper box making machinery rigid paper box making machinery paper box forming machinery rigid paper box forming machinery rigid paper box equipment paper box equipment thermoforming machine thermoforming Equipment Plastic Machinery Plastic Thermoforming Machine Plastic Thermoforming Machinery Plastic Sheet Unit,Plastic Extruding Machine Plastic Machine prada shoes true religion jeans evisu jeans Ed hardy Gucci shoes Gucci Handbag adidas shoes Ugg Boots nike shoes LV handbags Jordan shoes new era caps

模切机 压痕机 切纸机 压纹机 上光机,过油上光机,开槽机,V槽机,折盒机 开槽机 V槽机 折盒机 覆膜机 覆面机 气动马达 气动搅拌机 叶片式气动马达 活塞式气动马达 滑片式气动马达 搅拌器 搅拌机 卧式气动马达 横切机

[cc]

http://www.66773388.com
http://www.zhongke-china.com

[nike shoes]

http://www.66773388.com
http://www.zhongke-china.com

[bigbigwatch]

Outwear
http://www.taylormadebrand.com/Outwear.html

T-shirt
http://www.taylormadebrand.com/T-shirt.html

Callaway Drivers
http://www.taylormadebrand.com/Callaway_Drivers.html

Cleveland Drivers
http://www.taylormadebrand.com/Cleveland_Drivers.html

[RxL]

http://www.kelebeklove.com

thanks you site..

[handbagdrop]

thank you the post ,i agress, you can look here also, coach handbags http://www.handbagdrop.com/vmchk/Coach-handbag/View-all-products.html

[buy wow gold]

Today, the Microsoft-owned in-game ad agency said that it has signed an exclusive multiyear agreement with Blizzard. Azerothians opposed to seeing in-game ads in their local world of warcft gold watering holes need not worry, however, because the deal is limited to Blizzard's Web sites and Battle.net,the game maker's online-gaming hub. Terms of the deal were not announced, but Massive did note that the agreement is applicable to users in the US, Canada, Europe, South Korea, and Australia.
buy wow gold

Massive also said today that it would be extending its aforementioned deal with Activision to encompass an additional 18 games appearing on the Xbox 360 and PC.cheap wow goldThe agency didn't fully delineate which would fall under this deal, though it did call out Guitar Hero: World Tour, James Bond: Quantum of Solace, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,buy wow items as well as games in its Tony Hawk and AMAX Racing franchises.Shortly before Activision and Vivendi announced their deal of the decade,wow power leveling the Guitar Hero publisher signed on to receive in-game advertisements from Massive Inc for a number of its Xbox 360 and PC games. A bit more than a year later, Massive is now extending its reach to Activision's new power player, Blizzard Entertainment.buy wow gold from our site ,you'll get more surprises!

[buy wow gold]

Today, the Microsoft-owned in-game ad agency said that it has signed an exclusive multiyear agreement with Blizzard. Azerothians opposed to seeing in-game ads in their local [url=http://www.game4power.com/][b]world of warcraft gold[/b][/url] watering holes need not worry, however, because the deal is limited to Blizzard's Web sites and Battle.net, the game maker's online-gaming hub. Terms of the deal were not announced, but Massive did note that the agreement is applicable to users in the US, Canada, Europe, South Korea, and Australia. [url=http://www.game4power.com/news/][b]buy wow gold[/b][/url]!

[buy wow gold]

Today, the Microsoft-owned in-game ad agency said that it has signed an exclusive multiyear agreement with Blizzard. Azerothians opposed to seeing in-game ads in their local [url=http://www.game4power.com/][b]world of warcraft gold[/b][/url] watering holes need not worry, however, because the deal is limited to Blizzard's Web sites and Battle.net, the game maker's online-gaming hub. Terms of the deal were not announced, but Massive did note that the agreement is applicable to users in the US, Canada, Europe, South Korea, and Australia. [url=http://www.game4power.com/news/][b]buy wow gold[/b][/url]!

[wholesale jewelry]

wholesale jewelry
jewelry wholesale
jewelry store
costume jewelry
wholesale costume jewelry
fashion jewelry
wholesale fashion jewelry
handmade jewelry
wholesale handmade jewelry
wholesale pearl
pearl wholesale
Bridal jewelry
discount jewelry
wholesale crystal jewelry
wholesale semiprecious jewelry
wholesale turquoise jewelry
wholesale shell jewelry
wholesale coral jewelry
wholesale swarovski crystal
china jewelry supplier

[wholesale jewelry]

wholesale jewelry
jewelry wholesale
jewelry store
costume jewelry
wholesale costume jewelry
fashion jewelry
wholesale fashion jewelry
handmade jewelry
wholesale handmade jewelry
wholesale pearl
pearl wholesale
Bridal jewelry
discount jewelry
wholesale crystal jewelry
wholesale semiprecious jewelry
wholesale turquoise jewelry
wholesale shell jewelry
wholesale coral jewelry
wholesale swarovski crystal
china jewelry supplier

[flash game]

http://www.online-flash-game.com/ flash games

[ASD]

　The Foreign wow gold Ministry also wow gold protests thewow gold denial by Israeli wow gold authorities of access to Gaza wow goldby an emergency wow goldmedical team of thedofus kamas Internationalkamas dofus Committee of dofus kamasthe Red Cross."Although wow gold all conditions

[dofus kamas]

Whatever you do, in civilized situations such as a business presentation or conference speech, never tell someone to "shut up!" Obviously this goes for interviews with the media as well. "Shut up" must be

[nikecitycn]

good site
http://www.sneakersupplier.com buy nike shoes online

[psycholog online]

this is a great article! http://www.blanc-photographie.pl

[alex]

Business Cards