Ah, hecklers. The bane of a perfectly good seminar. There you are, doing your job, getting your momentum going, delivering the lecture that took weeks to make and then this guy in the corner starts yelling insults and over-used one-liners meant to keep you off track. Hecklers can mean big trouble, but only if you let them get to you. Here are ways you can handle hecklers during seminars:
Always Anticipate Questions.
Practicing and studying your lectures will help you a good deal when it's time to face any hecklers in your audience. A full understanding of what your seminar is about means they won't find any holes with which to poke you with. Try to answer future questions by discussing them in your lecture. You'll disarm hecklers this way. Always come prepared.
Assume The Leadership Role.
Your job as a seminar speaker means you are in control, so show it. Let your audience know how the seminar will go; you lecture first and then answer questions at the end of the speech. That way, you let people know what you expect of them and the type of interaction you will allow in your lectures.
If You Have Limitations, Say So At The Beginning.
If you have limited expertise or knowledge in certain topics or areas, announce it to the audience prior to the first lecture. So in case a heckler tries to derail you with a question pertaining to those areas, you can smoothly remind them that the subject is outside your expertise and will not be discussed. They can, however, refer the question to someone else.
Ask The Question.
Turn the tables on a heckler. Ask what they mean by the question, why they are asking and what their qualifications are. And yes, ask them to identify themselves. Some hecklers feel uncomfortable being known. Returning the question to them means you want them to explain what it is they are asking and why. Dissecting a question is quite effective especially for nonsensical inquiries.
Empathize.
Show you understand and don't take it personally. Try to find a common denominator between you and you'll be the sympathetic one. The heckler will appear troublesome and out of place.
Cool It.
Whatever happens, never ever lose your temper. When you do, you let the heckler get the better of you. You lose your composure, your audience's respect and your self-esteem. Keep cool about the question and don't try to retaliate with the same anger or malice. Don't yell, rant or rage. You'll only embarrass yourself and give the heckler a nice story to tell for years to come.
Dissect the question, answer the key questions if there are any, point out to the nonsensical or unimportant ones and then ignore them. Hecklers want their 15 minutes. Give it to them but only if you control the situation and then move on.
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