{"id":72,"date":"2019-03-05T17:37:06","date_gmt":"2019-03-05T17:37:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/?p=72"},"modified":"2024-10-01T18:06:50","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T18:06:50","slug":"how-to-handle-hecklers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/how-to-handle-hecklers\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Handle Hecklers"},"content":{"rendered":"

PDF version for download:\u00a0 06 How to Handle Hecklers<\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 06a Citations for How to Handle Hecklers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

How to Handle Hecklers<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have all had \u201cthat student,\u201d the one who wants to take over lecture, to challenge every point you make, to shift the topic to one he wants to address instead, or to put on a show for his classmates.\u00a0 We need to be able to regain control of the situation and redirect his behavior appropriately.<\/p>\n

And we need to do this in a professional and instructive manner.\u00a0 It was recommended to me to find out what professional stand-up comedians do for this, but I found their techniques use ridicule, insults, sarcasm, and even putting the heckler \u201con the spot\u201d by inviting them on stage.\u00a0 I feel these methods would be detrimental to the classroom, especially since we see our \u201caudience\u201d more than once.<\/p>\n

I found the best advice came from professional speakers.\u00a0 There are two types of heckling:<\/p>\n

Active heckling\u00a0<\/strong>is when an audience member interrupts and starts talking directly to you in the middle of your presentation. This is the worst kind.<\/p>\n

Passive heckling<\/strong>\u00a0is a more mild form of disrespect. This kind of heckling usually takes the form of someone having their own conversation with their neighbor or playing with their smartphone. Although less abrasive, it can throw you and your audience off.<\/p>\n

(speakerhub heckler)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There are also four types of hecklers:<\/p>\n

1) The Talker \/ Know it all<\/strong>
\nThis is the eager beaver, the show-off. They are well informed and want everyone to know it.<\/p>\n

2) The Griper<\/strong>
\nThis person has been sent to your presentation and doesn\u2019t want to be there and they\u2019re going to take it out on you. They might think they know as much as you and will air their views or will stop listening altogether.<\/p>\n

3) The Hassler<\/strong>
\nThis person is insecure, aggressive and has a lack of interest in what you are presenting.<\/p>\n

4) The Whisperer<\/strong>
\nThis person either doesn\u2019t understand your presentation, or is bored or is being deliberately mischievous.<\/p>\n

(thought leadership)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When someone interrupts, the first question you have to ask yourself is, \u201cIs this person a heckler or not?\u201d\u00a0 This is important, as we see here:<\/p>\n

Someone who is asking a difficult question, especially when prompted to\u00a0during a Q&A session<\/a>, will come across as thoughtful, respectful, and intelligent: using logic and reasoning. While they might be disagreeing with you, this stems from their genuine desire to have a discussion as opposed to brawl.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, a heckler will jump right into a rant. They will make things personal, and will be insulting. They will poke and prod at anything, from your slides to your clothing to your ideas.<\/p>\n

Make sure you know which kind of individual you are dealing with, because if you mistakenly start to \u201cdeal\u201d with someone who is just trying to open a dialogue, you can risk turning your audience off.<\/p>\n

If you want them to accept your ideas, they will need to think that you are level headed, reasonable and intelligent, and if you freak out because someone questions you, you might lose some of your credibility, and your audience.<\/p>\n

Once you are certain you are dealing with a heckler, it\u2019s time to disarm them and get your presentation on back on track.<\/p>\n

(speakerhub heckler)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Once you are sure you are dealing with a heckler, you have options on how to deal with him.<\/p>\n

#1: Never reward interrupting.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What do you do if someone starts to talk over you? Keep talking.<\/p>\n

It might take few seconds, but the majority of the audience will not notice, and ultimately, it will make the interrupter look like the rude party. Nine times out of ten, they will stop talking.<\/p>\n

Once they stop talking, focus on the rest of the audience. Ostracize the interrupter for a few minutes by using body language<\/a>\u00a0to exclude them (such as avoiding eye contact for a few minutes); this\u00a0should\u00a0<\/em>put a stop to future interruptions.<\/p>\n

#2: Don\u2019t try to be funny.<\/strong><\/p>\n

While you can still be light and pleasant, it is better to deal with the heckler directly, and get back on track as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

#3: Manage your own emotional state.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In this kind of situation, most people will go into a reactionary mode. This can raise your stress levels, and make you defensive and aggressive.<\/p>\n

The risk is that it will be difficult to shake this mindset once you are in it, and this can throw off your entire presentation, dashing your natural charisma and preventing you from thinking clearly.<\/p>\n

Take a deep breath, and stay calm. Remove your emotional attachment to the situation and deal with it in a level and relaxed way.<\/p>\n

If you can, try role-playing these situations with friends or colleagues. It can be very useful to train yourself to override your impulsive reactions and react consciously and calmly.<\/p>\n

#4: Let the heckler have their say.<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>
\nWe mentioned that you should never allow someone to interrupt your session. While this will weed out the majority of interrupters, sometimes you will get a persistent heckler, and it can be beneficial to hear them out.<\/p>\n

They will continue to interrupt and heckle if they feel they were shut down, not getting a response may activate a deeper need to be heard.<\/p>\n

Let them go on for a few minutes, maybe even just a little bit too long. Once they feel like they\u2019ve been heard, they\u2019re less likely to interrupt again.<\/p>\n

#5: Listen to them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can disarm the heckler by hearing them out, then calmly acknowledge them.<\/p>\n

While you don\u2019t need to validate or agree with them, sometimes just being heard is enough to pacify the audience member.<\/p>\n

You will seem more reasonable to the audience if you understand where someone is coming from. It can also help you determine whether you are dealing with a heckler or someone who is asking difficult questions.<\/p>\n

#6: Actually respond.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes, it is necessary to respond to the comments. When you are responding, it\u2019s crucial to address the whole audience, not just the heckler.<\/p>\n

Top tip:\u00a0don\u2019t end your response by looking directly at the heckler. They will see this as an invitation to keep the going.\u00a0Look at a person on the other side of the room as you conclude your response. Then jump directly back into your presentation.<\/p>\n

If you are dealing with a heckler, and they start sounding off, becoming insulting, and can\u2019t back up what they say, this will become obvious to your audience.<\/p>\n

#7: Don\u2019t let it get personal.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your initial reaction might be to respond harshly back. If you believe that they have \u201cgone too far<\/em>\u201d or attacked your integrity, you might be hell-bent on serving it back to them.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

If you take the bait, you\u2019ll fall into their trap.<\/p>\n

The most common result from this tactic is that those who are listening may jump up and take sides with the individuals, instead of the ideas.<\/p>\n

Focus entirely on what is being discussed, and avoid attacking them personally at all costs.<\/p>\n

#8: Be gracious.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Be courteous, kind, and pleasant: even to the heckler.<\/p>\n

Never lose your temper. Even if you feel like they have completely ruined your moment, and you are raging on the inside, if you lose control, you will not be able to get it back.<\/p>\n

The best course of action is to maintain a level head, be polite and get your presentation back on track as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

#9: Ask them to stop.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve got a heckler who keeps on going (even after you\u2019ve heard them out and calmly responded) make a firm request that they stop.<\/p>\n

Here are some examples:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m finding it difficult to progress with my presentation. Please could you hold any more comments until the end of the presentation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love it when audience members are active and participating, but I\u2019d like to get back to my presentation, and would appreciate it if you\u2019d let me do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInteresting point. We can discuss this further after the presentation, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

#10: Get the rest of the audience on your side.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do not underestimate the power of the crowd. Social pressure can have a tremendous effect on a heckler\u2019s willingness to keep talking.<\/p>\n

The audience has come to hear you speak, not the heckler. If they wanted to hear a comedian, they\u2019d go to a stand-up show.<\/p>\n

Use this to your advantage: ask the audience whether they would prefer to listen to you finish your presentation, or whether they want to hear more from the heckler.<\/p>\n

There might be a second or two of awkward silence, but most of the time the audience will collectively say they\u2019d prefer you to keep going. Sometimes you might even get a cheer as they will be just as fed up with the heckler as you are. In the extremely rare situation that they opt to hear more from the heckler, simply accept it and bow out graciously.<\/p>\n

It takes an extremely brave (or foolish) person to carry on heckling against the whole crowd. Normally, the heckler will get embarrassed, and stay silent for the rest of the session.<\/p>\n

#11: The last resort:\u00a0have them removed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the most extreme cases none of the above will work, and you will be forced to make the tough decision to have the heckler removed from the audience.<\/p>\n

Only ever do this if the heckler absolutely refuses to stop, and you are past the point of being able to control the situation.<\/p>\n

Ask for security or the event organizer to escort the heckler out of the room.<\/p>\n

#12: Don\u2019t dwell on it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

After you have effectively dealt with the heckler, it\u2019s time to get back on track.<\/p>\n

Take a deep breath and put yourself back into the right mindframe. Remember: you are in control.<\/p>\n

While you can reference the situation briefly, do not focus on it and absolutely avoid referencing it more than once. If you move on quickly and gracefully, your audience will come with you.<\/p>\n

(speakerhub heckler)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There are some other good techniques, too:<\/p>\n

Use reflective listening before you respond<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reflect back to the heckler what they said. This means expressing in your own words your understanding of what they\u2019ve said. You may think that this technique looks transparent, but the heckler will most likely be totally oblivious \u2013 they will simply feel \u201cyou\u2019ve listened to me\u201d. Or if your understanding is wrong, they\u2019ll correct you and then you can have another attempt at reflecting back what they\u2019ve said.<\/p>\n

Once again, this is prevention. Responding thoroughly and fairly to the heckler the first time means it\u2019s more likely to be the only time they interrupt.<\/p>\n

(speakingaboutpresenting)<\/p>\n

Silence<\/strong><\/p>\n

Somewhat surprisingly the simplest solution is often the most effective. If you stop speaking and turn and stare at the heckler, everyone else will turn to see what you are looking at. In 95% of heckler cases this kind of social embarrassment is all that it takes to shut a heckler up.<\/p>\n

(accidentalcommunicator)<\/p>\n

If you get asked antagonistic questions<\/strong>, throw them back to the audience for discussion.<\/p>\n

Getting the audience to answer the question does two things: first it allows the audience to throw out answers (and they might give the answer you are looking for) and second, it gives you time to think so that you can come up with the answer you need.<\/p>\n

(thought leadership)<\/p>\n

Avoid shooting them down prematurely.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Find out what exactly they\u2019re complaining or arguing for by asking probing questions. You can ask questions like,\u00a0\u201cWhat exactly are you trying to accomplish or point out?\u201d\u00a0or\u00a0\u201cHow is your opinion on (topic) relevant to _____?\u201d<\/p>\n

If you listen closely, their answers will reveal why they\u2019re heckling you in the first place. Sometimes it\u2019s a grudge, sometimes it\u2019s a misplaced anger, other times it\u2019s just to vent. Whatever their reason, you\u2019ll be more prepared to address the problem once you know what\u2019s really happening.<\/p>\n

(riklanresources)<\/p>\n

Move toward the heckler<\/strong><\/p>\n

A questioner threatened to take the entire Q and A \u2013 and more.<\/strong>\u00a0 Now, I pride myself on listening respectfully and being able to incorporate just about any point of view into the dialogue, so my vanity prevented me from interrupting sooner.\u00a0 But eventually it became clear that interruption was essential, unless the building was just about to be set on fire, struck by a tsunami, or leveled with an earthquake.<\/p>\n

As none of those outcomes seemed forthcoming, it was time for me to step up and act like the leader.\u00a0 And so I did the counter-intuitive thing, the move that the chatterbox never expects \u2013 I moved toward the person until I was standing next to him.<\/p>\n

That made him turn slightly, so that he could keep an eye or two on me, and all that extra effort of shifting his attention meant that he had to shut up, at least temporarily.<\/p>\n

And so I took that opportunity to leap in, verbally speaking, and take back the night, or at least the speech.<\/p>\n

(public words)<\/p>\n

Ignorance is not bliss<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ignoring hecklers just makes matters worse.<\/p>\n

In most cases they will keep going and just get louder. Wishing them away is not going to work. The best thing to do is to speak very clearly and slowly and say that you\u2019ve heard them. Say you\u2019ll speak with them after you\u2019ve finished. But you are now going to continue on with your talk. And if they\u2019re standing up, then ask them to please sit down.<\/p>\n

(linkedin hecklers)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is always important to avoid asking the heckler questions when you can\u2019t really control the answers.\u00a0 You don\u2019t want to give the heckler opportunities to add to his heckling.<\/p>\n

Cited web sites for \u201cHow to Handle Hecklers\u201d<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Format:<\/p>\n

reference name in text
\nlink
\naccess date<\/p>\n

accidentalcommunicator
\nhttp:\/\/theaccidentalcommunicator.com\/present\/5-ways-that-presenters-handle-hecklers<\/a>
\n9-Mar-18<\/p>\n

linkedin hecklers
\nhttps:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/pulse\/handling-hecklers-public-speaking-3-little-tricks-help-newbronner-6125942144168456192<\/a>
\n9-Mar-18<\/p>\n

public words
\nhttp:\/\/www.publicwords.com\/2014\/08\/05\/how-to-handle-hecklers-and-loudmouths\/<\/a>
\n9-Mar-18<\/p>\n

riklanresources
\nhttp:\/\/www.riklanresources.com\/articles\/4-strategies-for-handling-hecklers-while-giving-a-speech\/<\/a>
\n9-Mar-18<\/p>\n

speakingaboutpresenting
\nhttps:\/\/speakingaboutpresenting.com\/audience\/handle-a-heckler\/<\/a>
\n9-Mar-18<\/p>\n

speakerhub heckler
\nhttps:\/\/speakerhub.com\/skillcamp\/12-ways-handle-heckler-professional-speaker<\/a>
\n9-Mar-18<\/p>\n

thought leadership
\nhttp:\/\/thought-leadership.top-consultant.com\/US\/How-deal-with-heckling-during-a-presentation-training–2234.html
\n9-Mar-18<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PDF version for download:\u00a0 06 How to Handle Hecklers \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 06a Citations for How to Handle Hecklers How to Handle Hecklers We have all had \u201cthat student,\u201d the one who wants to take over lecture, to challenge every point you make, to shift the topic to one he wants to address […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3,10],"class_list":["post-72","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-classroom-management","tag-hecklers"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":410,"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72\/revisions\/410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.palomar.edu\/tjohnston2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}