And I mentioned that one of the reasons people behave that way is due to fear of public speaking. That is why some speakers are neither engaging nor persuasive. And that could also be the reason some speakers focus excessively on their slides, instead of making eye contact with their audience.
The fact is, as you become more successful as an entrepreneur, you will have to engage in public speaking. You will either be invited to deliver a lecture as a keynote speaker at a conference, convention, seminar, or Annual General Meeting, or you may have to organize an event where you will need to address a large audience.
I do this from time to time. And you will have to do it if you truly have the desire to impact lives positively.
So, instead of being afraid of public speaking, wisdom demands that you should be properly prepared and equipped so that you will perform excellently when the opportunity comes.
From experience, I must inform you that as you engage in public speaking or presentation from time to time, you will come across different kinds of audiences. Some will be friendly and receptive while some will be hostile and provocative.
I mean a certain member of the audience. And if you don’t know how to handle that percentage of the general audience, you may end up leaving a wrong impression in the mind of the other members of the audience or you may be distracted from your core objective at that event.
The truth is, you may not be able to persuade everyone. Nonetheless, you need to do your best without halting your presentation to convince one person.
However, let me share with you practical ways of responding to hostile audience behavior. And I must admit that I learnt them from the Harvard Communication online course I attended recently. I mentioned that in my last post.
Disagreement: Someone interrupts you to dispute what you are saying. If the person has a legitimate point, acknowledge it (You can say, “You have a point and thanks for sharing it”) and resume your presentation. When you think the objection is not valid, acknowledge it by saying something not offensive (for example, “That is an interesting point”) and move on.
Interruptions: An individual either starts talking and will not stop or frequently interrupts. Ask the person to talk to you after the presentation. If that does not solve the problem, say something like: “I want everyone to hear my ideas and decide for themselves whether they make sense. I’d like you to listen to the rest of my presentation and then we can talk afterward.”
Arguments: An audience member becomes argumentative. Grant him or her the right to an opinion, recognize the difference between the two of you and move on. If the individual persists in arguing, try the approach described in the previous suggestion.
Side Conversation: Two people in the audience talk to each other during your presentation. Ignore brief conversations, but when individuals persist in talking, walk toward them and make and hold eye contact.
I encourage you to add these skills to your communication and public speaking kit just as I have done already. You will always need them along the way.
I will see you in my next post.
Nkem Adenuga
FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS