Public Speaking - Making it look easy (6)

Dealing with a hostile audience - Five realities

If I were to ask experienced speakers how many times they had faced a hostile audience, most could count them on the fingers of one hand.  So why is it such a big fear? 

At the end of my last post, I pointed to five realities that run counter to the illusion that fear creates.  Here they are again . . .

1.  The fear is greater than the reality,
2. Most audiences are supportive,
3. Usually the worst that will happen is indifference,
4. When there is hostility it is usually from one or two people only,
5. The techniques for handling hostile audiences are the same as those for handling Q&A’s (more or less).

 (In this post I am not talking about some special situations that are by nature volatile, such as the closure of a service or a workplace, engagement in political activity, or challenging environmental or racial injustice.  These are somewhat special circumstances for which the speaker is usually appropriately briefed, supported and resourced.  In this post I am talking about the kind of occasions you might expect in ordinary corps / centre life.)

In the (unlikely) event of a challenge to what you are saying, here is an approach that has more than a reasonable chance of you coming out of it looking good, having acted with grace and retained the sympathy of the audience. 

1. Validate the person making the challenge (perhaps by thanking him/her for his/her concern about the issue), but not the veracity of the challenge (unless it is right of course).
2. If the statement is fundamental to the argument of your presentation explain in two or three quick points why you believe you are right, validate the challenger again, and carry on with the presentation, all the while being conciliatory in your approach. 
3. If the statement is not fundamental to your presentation, give a statement that asserts your belief in it, but your willingness to review it (after the presentation). Again a conciliatory tone is important.
4. Do not invite any further discussion.
5. Move on.

 You can repeat this for one or two times only, but if it goes beyond this you clearly have a credibility problem looming.  You have to take decisive action in some way.  An experienced speaker may be able to draw on the support of the wider audience without overtly putting down the challenger by gently pointing to the anti-social behaviour of the challenger.    

Don’t buy into an argument – simply challenge the antisocial behaviour

For example, I will politely but clearly challenge the behaviour so gently that it is barely seen as a challenge, perhaps something like this;  “Thanks for your comment.  I see that you disagree with my position - and I'm fine with that.  But rather than take up everyone else’s time, is it OK if you and I have a separate chat about this after the presentation?”

As soon as you do this, you have changed the dynamic in the room.  He begins to be exposed as a person behaving badly, and you are becoming established as a person who cares about everybody in the room. 

It may take another one or two attempts at this, but a rational person will realise that as he persists he is increasingly being perceived as small, petty-minded and ego-centric.  He will back off.  On the other hand, an irrational person might keep going of course, but all the time he will be strengthening your sympathy from the audience (as long as you remain calm and self-possessed), and even those who were against your position will be filled with respect for you as a person. 

Some do’s and don’ts

Do:      Remember that your goal in a skirmish is to act with grace under fire, to keep your head while others are losing their’s, to represent yourself, your organisation and your God in a way that you will have no shame about the next day.  You do not want even one sleepless night with the thought “I wish I hadn’t said . . .xxx” going round your head.

Do:      Step forward toward the challenger (It strengthens your own resolve and sends a message that you are not intimidated).

Do:      Seek to validate the challenger without patronising him.

Do:      Give a reasonable time for the challenger to express his view, but then . . .

Do:      Interrupt the challenger politely and graciously when he is going on too long.

Don’t: Allow the challenger to take over the session.

Don’t: Allow yourself to be forced into agreeing to something you do not believe to be right or inappropriate. 

In my next post, the final of my series on public speaking, I will share some some gems from around the blogosphere that will provide interesting reading and help prepare you to become a highly effective public speaker. 

Public Speaking - Making it look easy (5)

According to statistics more people fear public speaking than fear death.  But, for many people, the most anxiety-provoking elements of public speaking are dealing with a hostile audience and handling a Question and Answer session (Q&A).  Is it really that bad?

Handling Q&A’s – Six Judgement Calls

Presenters get nervous about Q&A’s because they call for snap decisions and quick thinking while trying to look relaxed and composed under pressure.  There appears to be no way of preparing adequately beforehand.  But actually there is. 

Recognising the nature of certain "tension points" that call for judgement during a Q&A is the first step to being in control.  Understanding and managing these points of tension during the preparation phase will empower you to be confident and effective in the delivery. 

These are the six "tension points" or judgement calls that I aim to keep in balance when I handle a Q&A.

Judgement Call #1:  Prime the pump . . . , but don’t keep pumping

Often there is a reluctance in the audience to be the first to ask a question.  After a suitable pause you can get things started yourself.  I will often say something like, “Then let me ask you a question.  Has anyone here come across this problem before?”  The first question is simple and requires no more than a nod of the head.  Usually, there is someone in an audience who will communicate by their non-verbals they are willing to say more.  I follow up with a question that requires something extra, “How did you resolve it?”  Then we're away. 

If, after a reasonable honest attempt, nothing happens; it is time to stop. Sometimes, you just have to come to terms with the fact that everyone is tired and they want to go home.  They are just not as fascinated with your subject as you are. 

In this case, thank everyone for their attention and wrap up the session by underscoring your central statement. 

Judgement Call #2:  Confidence . . . , but not cockiness

When asked a question, you can assert your confidence by physically stepping forward as the question is being asked.  This creates a psychological impact for you and for the audience.  You give yourself the message “I am not going to shrink away from this anxiety-provoking event”, and the audience get the idea that you are confident, in control and ready for anything. 

Present your answers strongly and confidently, but don’t feel you have to have an answer for every question.  If you don’t know the answer, it is OK to say so, usually with a promise to provide that information at a later date. 

Sometimes, audience members will ask you detailed questions that you could not reasonably be expected to remember (about dates, numbers, data, that kind of thing).  My reply usually goes something like.  “That’s a good question.  Off-hand I don’t know exactly how many.  I don’t carry that kind of detail around with me in my head, but I will find out for you.” 

This kind of reply is a plus for your credibility. It indicates you’re a big-picture (strategic) thinker but you are willing to make the effort to provide the small picture stuff. 

Judgement Call #3: Keep it simple . . ., but don’t dumb it down

If you have spent the whole of your presentation being careful to relate to the stereotypical member of your audience (See my first post in this series) the last thing you want to do is to blow it on the Q&A. 

Continue to pitch your comments at the right level for the audience, not getting too technical or long-winded on one hand, nor making it over-simplistic on the other. 

Judgement Call #4:  Stay on message . . . , but it’s not an infomercial

By now you have spent most of your address communicating a message that you believe is important for your audience to hear. 

It is so easy for the Q&A to become a time when that message is lost in an avalanche of other material.  Remember the principle of primacy and immediacy in No 2 of this series? Keep relating your answers back to your central message. 

On the other hand, don’t go overboard to the extent that you resort to the old politician’s trick of always answering with what you want to say regardless of the question.  That’s a sure way to lose the respect of your audience. 

Judgement Call #5:  Impromptu  . . . , but well-prepared

The best preparation for a Q&A is to know your material and have ready answers for the expected questions.  If you’re not sure what questions to expect, use the old journo’s brainstorm technique.  Write down the words who, what, when, why and how and use them as the basis for developing a series of questions and answers that are both quantitative (about numbers) and qualitative (about stories).  Keep in mind your stereotypical audience member as you prepare.  Once you have considered the possibilities, leave it alone. 

Judgement Call #6: Allow freedom of speech . . . , but not too free

In every Q&A there is a guy (they are almost always men – I do not recall it ever being a woman in my experience) who wants to share his own opinion and is not really interested in what others may have to say. He is prepared to go on at length.  

It is good to give him space to express opinions, especially those differing to your own.  It marks you as a person of grace. However, if he goes on too long it is the job of the moderator to politely close him down, but often this does not happen and you may have to take charge. 

I usually handle this with a polite interruption and an appeal to the fairness of giving everyone else time for a question. I try to find something in his comments that I can affirm and always make the promise to share with him one-on-one later.  (He never takes this up by the way – he is only interested in getting an audience.)

Finish strongly

Remember that you are in front of these people because you have a message you believe is important for them to hear.  Applying the principle of primacy and immediacy, finish with a strong statement; something like, “Thank you for your attention today.  Having heard the evidence I am sure you can be in no doubt about the authenticity of Jesus’ message or how it changes lives even now, two thousand years on.”

Dealing with a hostile audience - Five realities

In my next post I will share a few scenarios that they don’t tell you about when you sign up for public speaking courses. 

For now I just want to encourage you to reflect on these five realities:

1. The fear is greater than the reality,
2.  Most audiences are supportive,
3.  Usually the worst that will happen is indifference,
4.  When there is hostility it is usually from one or two people only,
5.  The techniques for handling hostile audiences are the same as those for handling Q&A’s (more or less). 

Public Speaking - Making it look easy (4)

I have heard a lot of boring and ineffective preaching over the years! 

But I have also heard some great preaching.  Nobody sets out to be boring and ineffective, so what is it that makes the difference?  How can you prevent yourself becoming one of those preachers that everyone can’t wait to finish?

In this post, I point the way to just some of the elements that can make preaching real, relevant, and above all effective. 

But what is an effective preach? 

It’s not necessarily one that is entertaining, witty, clever, or theologically sophisticated (though it can have these elements).  It is one in which the preacher accurately portrays God’s message to God’s people in a way they understand, engage with, and which influences them for change.   

For this to happen all the elements of good public speaking should apply (see previous posts) but there is more, number one on the list being your own (the preacher’s) spiritual condition. 

What does God want you to say? 

Your first task as a preacher is to establish what God wants you to say to this congregation at this time.  Of course, you can only do this through prayer in a context of a sound spiritual life.

If you are the regular preacher to the congregation, or even a member of it, you will have a good understanding of its spiritual needs, but what does God want you to present today?  This is a matter of careful thought and prayer.  (This does not preclude the preaching series; the decision is just earlier in the process.)

If you don’t know the congregation, it becomes harder, but a discussion with your host will usually start off your thought processes.  (And, as a visitor, you may have the advantage of being able to issue a more controversial challenge than is always possible in the local setting.)

As part of working out the essential message that God wants to be communicated, seek to be led to a scripture passage.  This will form the basis of your preach. 

What did the author want to communicate?

Generally, the only legitimate way to present scripture is in a way that reflects the author’s original intention.  (When I say author in this case I mean both the human and the God who inspired him.)

To do this we have to have an understanding of the context that the writer lived and wrote in and the context that his readership received it in. 

This is an important integrity issue.  It is the way we can be sure that we do not force our own ideas on what the scripture is saying. 

For example, I once heard a sermon about the comparative qualities of various types of sheep farming methods based on the 23^rd Psalm.  I have no doubt that some farming methods are more sustainable, ethical and humane than others, but it is not the intention of the Psalmist to point that out.  He is celebrating the nurturing nature of God. 

It may sound like a difficult task to work out the context, but in fact there are resources at your disposal that will make it easy.  Here is my four-step suggestion for doing this phase of your preparation in about an hour. 

Step 1:           Check out general background (20 - 30 minutes)

Most Bibles have an introductory few pages at the beginning of each book explaining the background of the book; who wrote it, what was going on for him at the time, who the audience was, the kind of people they were, what was going on for them, the approximate dates.  Simply read this and absorb it. 

Step 2:           Identify what genre (style) of literature this book is (5 - 10 minutes)

A little time in thought should be able to give you the answer to this.  Is it a history book, a letter, a poetry book, an evangel (a biographical book edited in such a way as to persuade the reader – such as the four Gospels and Acts), a book of wisdom, a record of prophecy, etc.?  This is as important because of the assumptions we make about we read are based on our understanding of the genre.  (Would you read an advertisement with the same trust that you read a review of the product?  Would you read a newspaper with the same assumption as you read a novel?  Of course not; you are unconsciously influenced by what you know about the genre.)

Step 3:           Check out what is going on before and after your chosen passage (10- 15 minutes)

Often a quick read of what is before and after the passage will give some insight into the passage itself. About a chapter each way should do it.

Step 4:           Check through your passage looking for things that seem odd in today’s context   (15 - 20 minutes)

Find out why this is. Most likely it is something that was widely understood by the original readership, but does not make sense without explanation today.  For example, if I wrote in a letter to you “The first thing we did when we drove into town was stop to eat at the golden arches”, you would know that I was referring to McDonalds.  In two thousand years’ time, my readership will probably not make the same conclusion.  I have often heard some embarrassing made-up answers to the questions these that these passages though up.  You are better off not addressing the matter than making something up. 

If you carry out these four simple steps, you are more likely to be true to the real intention of God and the writer than if you don’t.  It might not be perfect, but it is a reasonable step in the right direction.  And if you follow this kind of approach by habit you will build up a broader and deeper knowledge of the Bible that will make each preach easier than the previous one, as well as being a blessing to you personally.

An effective preach has an effective “how to”

If we believe that an effective preach is “is one in which the preacher accurately portrays God’s message to God’s people in a way they understand, engage with, and which influences them for change”, then, almost by definition, it must have some explanation of how to make the change.   

Each address should have “how to” part to it, so that every listener is in no doubt about what she/he has to do to apply the principles he/she has just heard. 

The “how to” should be geared to the matter that has been preached, the congregation, and the circumstances of the presentation. 

To use an extreme example, I always preach salvation at a funeral (don’t invite me if you don’t want the gospel preached at your funeral), but it is clearly not appropriate to take over the service with a prolonged call to the mercy seat. Instead I invite attenders to seek out a Salvationist or other spiritual Christian whom they trust, for further discussion, emphasising that it really should be today lest the momentum and opportunity be lost. 

Having worked with addicts and alcoholics for about twenty years I have probably had a higher-than-average number of funerals to conduct, but I do not recall anyone being offended by a clear and definite, but sensitive, “how to”.

A trap to avoid

Before closing, it would be remiss of me not to mention one of the biggest traps that many preachers fall into.  That is treating the Old Testament as though it is a manual of ethics and morality for Christians.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Old Testament serves a number of important purposes.  

• It provides historical and cultural background that culminates in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and the establishment of the Church (the worldwide body of Christians, all spiritually interconnected),

•  
It contains a number of books that capture the mythology (truths told in story or history form) of the people (Israel) from whom Jesus came,

• It is a repository for poetry, wisdom literature and prophecy of the centuries leading to Jesus,

• It is the means by which God established that we cannot win a place in heaven by obeying rules or laws, only by the grace and forgiveness of God.
 

The Old Testament contains examples of God’s people behaving in very un-Christian ways on one hand, and it imposes rules that are irrelevant, unrealistic and impractical on the other.

So generally it cannot be used as a moral guidebook for the Christian.  It is inconsistent for this purpose.  (Otherwise, Christians would be required to abstain from Pork and get circumcised, and would be expected to kill foreigners to take over their land!)  Rather it is a means of providing background and input into the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament writers. 

(Almost all the moral and ethical teaching that a Christian will ever need is contained in Jesus’ mega-speech on how to live, recorded in Matthew 5, 6, and 7.)

Preaching is a huge subject, so this post is just a toe-in-the water exercise, but if you’re interested in know more feel free to contact me in English or Chinese at TAW_leadership@taw.salvationarmy.org.  Also you could follow me on Twitter as I will refer to preaching material from time to time.  

In my next post I will cover handling a Q&A session and share some ideas about coping with a hostile audience.