"Just imagine that the audience is naked." Anyone who has ever taken a workshop on

how to make presentations has heard that one. But in a situation where you face a

hostile audience or you are asked a challenging question, you’re the one who feels as if

you’re standing there in your birthday suit.

If you are expected to make presentations to employee groups, shareholders, industry

peers or the public, chances are, you’ve been challenged by a member of the group at

some point in your speaking life.

Increasingly, my firm is asked to help an executive polish his or her presentation skills.

It’s becoming more important as companies realize the value of face-to- face

communication in building commitment to changes and forming partnerships with

constituencies. For instance, some executives are now expected to hold regular "town

hall meetings" with employees at all levels. These meetings provide a great forum for

give and take but it’s the "take" portion that causes presenters to sweat.

Presentation skills don’t come naturally for most of us. In fact, it’s number one on the list

of things most feared by Americans. It’s daunting enough to just stand up there and talk,

let alone be grilled or attacked by the audience. The good news is that group behavior is

fairly predictable and predictably fair.

Here are some strategies for you to clip and save. You can pull them out the next time

you’re asked to speak:

A member of the audience disagrees with a point you made in your presentation

and attacks you in front of the rest of the group.

What not to do: 

Do not respond with a condescending remark or attempt to justify your position. I

recently heard a speaker say, "Apparently you didn’t listen to mywhole speech or you

would have known I made that point." Then he went on to restate a portion of his

speech that everyone had already heard. Ouch! The audience instantly turned against

the speaker.

What to do: 

Never get into a shooting match with a member of the audience. You will lose, even if

the person is a flaming fool. Here’s why. The leader is in a position of power and

authority, and if he or she appears to "argue down" a dissenter, or get defensive in front

of the group, credibility is lost. Each member of the audience recognizes that the

audience member who is being embarrassed could be them.

A better approach is to let the arrows pass right through you. For instance, say, "I

appreciate your perspective. What do the rest of you think?" Almost without fail, a group

will rise to the occasion and moderate the situation for you.

If the person has a personal axe to grind, or is inappropriate in other ways, another

approach is to gently cut him or her off by briefly restating the opinion in neutral words

and thanking the person before moving on. For example, "So, if I understand you

correctly, you feel that managers are power hungry people who climb on the backs of

their employees to get what they want and to look good to their superiors. Unfortunately,

you must have had some very negative experiences. Thank you for sharing your

perspective."

An audience member who asks a question that is really a thinly veiled challenge.

What not to do:

Don’t take the question at face value and answer it. For example, if the person asks,

"Don’t you think there are a lot of people who will disagree with this policy?" don’t

respond with, "No, I think the policy is fair." The audience will know you have tried to

dodge the real issue and it will make them uncomfortable. Once there is dissention in

the group, they will not be able to settle down until it is resolved. Ignoring it generally

causes a flurry of conversation in the hallway and at break time. The audience needs

the leader to bring closure to the challenge.

What to do:

Ask for more information. The more you show sincere respect and try to understand the

point they are trying to make, the more the audience will settle down and respect the

leader. "It sounds as if there is more behind your question. What specifically do you

think some of the problems are?" will draw out the real issue and force the person to be

straightforward about what they really mean.

An audience member who begins to take a lot of time to tell personal stories,

express their views, or asks numerous questions about an issue that only has

importance to that individual.

What not to do: 

Don’t get caught in the trap of conducting a lengthy one-on- one dialogue in front of a

group. The audience will begin to check their watch, shift in their chairs and even leave

the room. They expect you to respectfully cut it off. Another mistake is to cut the person

off too abruptly. For instance, interrupting the person with, "We’re running behind

schedule. We have to move on" will insult the person and may make the person more

disruptive.

What to do: 

Look for an opening, briefly summarize the person’s point and say, "I’d be happy to

discuss this with you after the session or at break." Then neutralize it with, "I’d be happy

to discuss any personal experiences or problems any of you have after the session. I

wish we had more time but unfortunately we’re forced to stay on schedule."

An audience member who expresses a contrary viewpoint that others seem to

agree with.

What not to do:

Don’t evade this one or play down its significance.

What to do: 

Stop, restate what the person said, ask the rest of the group if they agree. Then spend

the necessary time to explore the opposing viewpoint. If you don’t listen to the majority

opinion, you will shut them down and lose them for the rest of your presentation.

Ironically, even if the rest of the group disagrees, they will resent it if you don’t listen to

what members of the group have to say.

Public speaking is a tremendous career builder. If you are able to handle tough

situations with grace and dignity, your audience will respect you and listen to your ideas.

Trust the group to help you succeed.

Joan Lloyd is a Milwaukee-based executive coach, organizational & leadership

development strategist. She has a proven track record spanning more than 20 years,

and is known for her ability to help leaders and their teams achieve measurable, lasting

improvements. Email your question to Joan at info@joanlloyd.com and visit

www.JoanLloyd.com to search an archive of more than 1600 of Joan’s articles. Contact

Joan Lloyd & Associates (414) 354-9500. ©Joan Lloyd & Associates, Inc.