New Public Speaking Challenge

Written by Pam Chambers Be first to comment on this post.

I thought I had seen (and heard) it all, but today offered another “first.” I was scheduled to speak about business etiquette to a group of bank executives at 3:00 pm. From 2:00 – 3:00, a woman from the training department was to speak about a related topic.

Twenty minutes into her session, an alarm went off. It was a fire-drill. For fully half an hour, we were subjected to shrill alarms and orders for “Tower One to vacate the building. I repeat, Tower One, vacate the building!”

Everyone in the room carried on — speaking, listening, and taking notes as if  hearing none of this.

The noise nearly drove me mad. (I am easily distracted by gum-snapping and iced-tea being stirred for too long). I wondered what I would have done had I been the one speaking. I would have asked, “How long will this last?” “Half an hour.” I would have said, “Let’s take a half-hour break.”

But 3:00 it was, “Alarm cancelled.”  My ears are still ringing!

Managing Audience Behavior: Devices

Written by Pam Chambers 4 comments so far. Share your thoughts.

Earlier, my sister Julie asked what we speakers/teachers can do when we notice that people in the audience are glancing down, using their devices while we are speaking.

What I do about that depends partly on my relationship with them. Am I a guest speaker at a Rotary Club? If so, I hardly have the right to ask them to stop. I suppose I would ask myself to be more engaging so that people would rather listen to me than “go away” to conduct personal business.

Recently I asked a student in a one-day class to please refrain from texting during the session. He seemed offended by this and announced that he, as an adult, has a choice about sending a quick e-mail — that this causes no disturbance. I explained to everyone that I should have made my expectation clear at the beginning of the class. I am now adding that rule to my short list. “Be on time. Be willing to be a student. Save eating for the breaks. Save using your devices for the breaks, unless you’re using them to take notes.”

But even more recently, I’m saying something else: “When you do something that removes yourself from the group, even momentarily, it’s as though you are removing your pot-luck dish from the buffet table. Now something is missing. You are acting as though your contribution doesn’t matter. It does matter.” People listen respectfully to this, and cooperate with my expectation — truly for the good of all.

A Tip for Speaking at a Luncheon Event

Written by Pam Chambers 7 comments so far. Share your thoughts.

After more than 20 years of public speaking, I thought I had pretty much seen it all. I was wrong.

The meeting was to be one hour, including the buffet lunch,  some organizational announcements, and my presentation (on giving presentations).

More people showed up than were expected and the servers had to scramble to set up an additional table. For this, and other reasons, the start of the meeting was delayed. (Even when meetings start late, people will leave on time.)

The president of the club introduced me as many people were just starting their meal. Because of the rectangular tables, nearly half of the the 40 audience members had their backs to me. Picture that.

I told them that I knew better than to compete with food, and that I’d save my most important tips for when they were done eating and could turn their chairs to face me. Amazing: 2/3 of the people did not turn their chairs to face me, so I was talking to their backs the entire time.

Moral: Request circular tables with settings placed such that everyone faces forward. Duh.