Comments on: How to deal with a hostile audience http://www.exec-comms.com/blog/2009/08/24/how-to-deal-with-a-hostile-audience/ "...a new favorite blog for professional excellence in public speaking, speech-writing, and executive communications." - The Register, May 24, 2008 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:56:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ellen Taliaferro http://www.exec-comms.com/blog/2009/08/24/how-to-deal-with-a-hostile-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-181887 Ellen Taliaferro Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:05:35 +0000 http://www.exec-comms.com/blog/?p=1581#comment-181887 Another technique for handling this is called the "relay response." Here is how it might work. The speaker has someone in the audience stand up and deliver some heated remarks. As soon as you can get a word in edgewise, say, "He/She says XXX." Then turn to another member in the audience and ask, "What do you think about that?" Or use the audience overview question and state, "How many of you in the audience agree with this comment?" Another technique for handling this is called the “relay response.”

Here is how it might work. The speaker has someone in the audience stand up and deliver some heated remarks. As soon as you can get a word in edgewise, say, “He/She says XXX.” Then turn to another member in the audience and ask, “What do you think about that?” Or use the audience overview question and state, “How many of you in the audience agree with this comment?”

]]> By: Training Connection http://www.exec-comms.com/blog/2009/08/24/how-to-deal-with-a-hostile-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-181809 Training Connection Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:59:26 +0000 http://www.exec-comms.com/blog/?p=1581#comment-181809 If a volcano is going off, we do not try to put it back together. Its true that we need to stop, listen and acknowledge that speaker and give value to what they say. Use long pauses to assist in letting that person know that they have all the room they need to blow off steam. Next, let them know you value their point of view and that if they do not have any other feelings or ideas they would like to share, you are most willing to address their questions in a calm manner as best you can. If a volcano is going off, we do not try to put it back together. Its true that we need to stop, listen and acknowledge that speaker and give value to what they say. Use long pauses to assist in letting that person know that they have all the room they need to blow off steam. Next, let them know you value their point of view and that if they do not have any other feelings or ideas they would like to share, you are most willing to address their questions in a calm manner as best you can.

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