Public Speaking

50 CHAPTER^4 Effective Listening

Practice Dialogical Listening

Remember the communication model introduced in Chapter 1? Because communica-

tion involves active participation from listeners and speakers alike, your feedback helps

co-create the meanings that ultimately come out of the communication event. Feedback

can come in nonverbal, verbal, or written messages. As you read the suggestions that

follow, remember that cultural expectations affect what are considered appropriate

feedback behaviors.

Give Appropriate Nonverbal Feedback

Your posture, movements, and eye contact, even the distance you sit from the speaker

are all ways to provide meaningful feedback.

•   Posture. Posture communicates involvement. Being “on the edge of your seat” means

you are thoroughly engrossed, and a posture that faces the speaker squarely and leans

slightly forward can help focus your attention. Even if you sit in a corner or off to the

side, you can still turn in the direction of the speaker and let your body assume an

open position.

•   Eye contact. Watch the speaker instead of looking at another distraction. This not only

helps maintain attention, it also establishes rapport and lets the speaker gauge your

interest and comprehension.

•   Distance. Think about the difference in your attentiveness when you sit far away

from the speaker versus when you sit closer to the presenter where you have fewer

distractions. Which seat contributes more to good listening? Choosing to sit where

ethiCs in

praCtiCe hecklers

H

ecklers are common at political speeches, and different speakers handle interruptions

in different ways. During President Obama’s speech at the National Defense University

in 2013, the cofounder of Code Pink, an antiwar group, interrupted him frequently. At first,

the president was restrained and tried to reason with her; he even paused for a while and

let her rant, but eventually, because she was preventing others from hearing his message,

security services escorted her out. As she was leaving, he commented that her voice was

worth paying attention to.^33 In contrast, Michelle Obama was interrupted by a gay rights

advocate. She stopped her speech and said, “One of the things I don’t do well is this.”

She then left the podium and walked toward the heckler, saying, “Listen to me or you can

take the mic but I’m leaving.” The audience begged her to continue her speech, and the

protestor was escorted out.^34

•    What do you think about President Obama’s response to his heckler? About the First

Lady’s response to hers?

•    To control meetings, many politicians today speak before carefully selected audiences,

comprised of people chosen to prevent unwanted interruptions. How would you evalu-

ate this practice?

•    Have you ever been in a situation where a speaker was heckled? If so, discuss the situ-

ation and your responses to it.

•    List your five top principles for ethical listening.

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