The_Essential_Manager_s_Handbook

HOLDING THE AUDIENCE / 345

MONITOR THE

MAJORITY

Regularly assess your

audience for signs of

discontent or agitation, but

remember that isolated

displays of body language

may be misleading, and they

can vary between cultures.

Tip

Get interactive and pose

questions to the audience

and invite answers

>>Tapping feet

>>Crossing legs

>>^ Talking to^

a neighbor

>> Looking around

the room

>>^ Folding arms^

across the chest

>> Leaning away

from the speaker

NEGATIVE SIGNS

-^ Consciously change your delivery;
slow your pace, or introduce pauses
after key points. Change your pitch
or volume.
-^ Get interactive and pose questions^
to the audience and invite answers.
Field questions. Leave your position
behind the podium and walk out
into the audience, making extensive
eye contact.
-^ Don’t get frustrated with the
audience. Compliment them so
that they feel valued.
-^ Tell your audience what’s coming up,
and when—“we’ll work through a few
examples before moving on to a
question and answer session in five
minutes.” This will help them feel
more involved in proceedings.

US_344-345_Holding_audience.indd 345 30/05/16 3:05 pm