How to Speak to an Unruly Crowd - John Baldoni - HarvardBusiness.

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JOHN BALDONI

http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/baldoni/2009/08/how_to_speak_to_an...

Leadership at Work

How to Speak to an Unruly Crowd

3:17 PM Tuesday August 11, 2009
Tags:Communication, Conflict, Leadership
The speaker was doing his determined best to continue speaking but the audience had other ideas. Those in
attendance were restless and eager to get to a reception for free drinks and snacks. Still, the speaker plowed on
through his presentation, seeking to talk over the catcalls and murmuring.
This scene came back to me when watching news coverage of protesters disrupting town hall meetings on health care
reform that congresspeople are holding in their districts. Most members of congress are not as nave as the speaker I
described; they know enough not to ignore hostile crowds. Some seek to engage the protesters; others pack it in and
call it a day.
There is no best way to handle an unruly crowd but clearly the executive just described did the wrong thing; he ignored
the audience. More adept speakers, like politicians, will seek to engage the audience. If that is your choice and it is safe
for you to speak, then here are some suggestions when dealing with a tough and vocal audience.
Be prepared. Every speaker must learn what her audience expects before she arrives to speak. In the case of the
executive, he did not consider the fact that he was the final speaker of the day and the only thing standing between the
audience and a reception. On a more serious note, if you expect people to be hostile to your message, study up on the
reasons why they may be upset. You want to integrate your counter arguments into your presentation, or be prepared
to deliver those arguments if questions arise.
Be flexible. If someone heckles, acknowledge it. Comedians, who often earn their stripes by performing in small
nightclubs, learn early in their careers how to have fun with hecklers. Sometimes you can parry the jibes and have a
quick back-and-forth dialogue. This demonstrates that the speaker is in control, not the heckler. But cut off the debate
quickly and move forward with your presentation. You cannot cede control to the crowd.
Be resolute. If the shouters will not be silenced, then give the rest of the audience an opportunity to voice their opinions.
Negotiate time to continue but promise to take questions from the audience as soon as you finish your remarks. If this
occurs, abandon the script and speak directly to the audience. Be brief. And keep your cool. Shouting back makes you
one of the mob; speaking with confidence acknowledges your authority over the message.
There is no guarantee that any of these suggestions will quiet a crowd. As we have seen with the health care protests,
some attendees are not coming to listen they are coming to disrupt. As with unruly and spoiled children, there is little
reasoning that can be done. When a disruptive mood prevails, or if you feel unsafe, walk away. Do so calmly and
purposefully. Stride confidently off the stage to a quiet and protected space. (Of course if people are throwing things at
you, exit hastily.)
It takes a strong sense of self to face a restless crowd. The operative principle when engaging an audience is control. If
you have it, continue; if you lose it, retreat.
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John Baldoni is a leadership consultant, coach, and speaker. His work centers on how leaders can use their authority,
communications and presence to build trust and drive results. He is the author of six books on leadership, including Lead
By Example, 50 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Results. In 2007 John was named one of the worlds top 30 leadership
gurus by Leadership Gurus International. For more on John and his work, visit www.johnbaldoni.com.
Follow John on Twitter: twitter.com/johnbaldoni
***

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Comments
This is great information. The biggest problem that Congressmen are facing is that they have been too far distant from
the voters. They expected to railroad the health care bill like they did the first pork stimulas and everyone would just roll
over and take it. They should have done their research back at home and been prepared for an angry mob. they are
lucky no is showing up with pitch forks, tar and feathers.
- Posted by Apexbill
August 11, 2009 10:05 PM
Sorry, last comment should have read: They are lucky no one is showing up with pitch forks, tar and feathers.
- Posted by Apexbill
August 11, 2009 10:08 PM
One can say that some people are there to disrupt, but it's my experience that with political and corporate meetings it's
more often people who feel disenfranchised and powerless who seek to create those same feelings within the speaker.
People are rarely interested in listening to someone who has shown no interest in listening to them. If the executive in
your example ignored the audience, I'd like to know when he began creating a reputation for ignoring the people he was
going to be talking to.
- Posted by Ken Boucher
August 12, 2009 12:48 PM
Great post. I've been thinking and pondering this same question lately. As a PR executive, how would I advise a client if
they were dealing with customers as angry as the people showing up at the recent local healthcare meetings.
In fact, I blogged about this same issue - http://jeffrutherford.com/how-do-you-reason-or-argue-with-a-mob
However, at some point, Congressional legislators will need to decide if these meetings are giving a platform to people
who are absolutely not interested in debating how to improve the current the healthcare system. From what I've seen,
many of the protestors are intent on drowning out opposite points of view, intimidating people who think that healthcare
needs to be reformed, and creating video footage for local TV news of uncomfortable legislators trying to deal with
unruly participants.
If they're not interested in conducting a meeting where people aren't shouted down and intimidated, we need to stop
giving these bullies a platform. They'd be far less effective in getting on the news if they were holding an isolated protest
vs. attending an official town hall discussion.
- Posted by Jeff Rutherford
August 12, 2009 1:28 PM
THIS INTRIGUING HEADLINE WAS TIMELY AND COMPELLED MY ATTENTION. THE CONTENT, SADLY, SHOWED
ME NOTHING. IT'S AMAZING HOW SELF-PROMOTED EXPERTS HAVE SUCH HOLLOW ADVICE. BE PREPARED,
ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE, WALK AWAY PROUDLY.
THERE ARE COMPENDIUMS ABOUT HANDLING HECKLERS. IS THERE NOTHING ABOUT HANDLING AN UNRULY,
ILL-INFORMED, DETERMINED TO DISRUPT, CRASS MOB?
FROM THIS REVIEW, I GUESS THE ANSWER IS... NOTHING
I EXPECTED THE AUTHOR TO SUGGEST SOMETHING SUCH AS, "MADAM, PLEASE SELECT ONE PERSON
FROM YOUR GROUP TO TAKE 3 MINUTES TO TALK. IF YOUR GROUP IS QUIET FOR THAT, THEN THEY NEED
TO BE QUIET AND RESPECTFUL WHEN I TALK AFTERWARD. DOES THAT SOUND FAIR?" IF THE ANSWER IS
NO, OR IF THEY ARE NOT DISRUPTIVE, THIS MEETING IS OVER.
- Posted by EARL SEDLIK
August 12, 2009 1:59 PM
Timely column, John. One technique I have seen used effectively is to be quiet while the heckler is carrying on and then
answering very softly. People will quiet down to hear what it is you have to say, and you appear much more calm and in

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control than if you try to shout over the mob.

I agree with Mr. Rutherford that these town halls have devolved into nothing more than opportunities for sound bites and
YouTube videos. It would be better to host online meetings where hecklers can be shut off so that those truly interested
in discussing the important issue of health care reform may do so intelligently and thoughtfully.
Ironically, Mr. Sedlik needs to learn that writing comments online in ALL CAPS is the written equivalent of shouting.
- Posted by Mark Hornung
August 12, 2009 2:36 PM
I agree with Mr. Sedlik about the higher expectations for this article. Additionally, John, you should stay with good
counsel and not stick your toe into your ideology - thereby heckling your fellow honest citizens.
These "disrupters," fellow citizens (well over 50%, by all accounts) have been shut out completely from discussions on
the $.8 Trillion stimulus, the $.5 Trillion Budget etc. with Congress not even taking time to read these bills let alone
discuss them with stakeholders ..er constituents.
As with your boring Exec, they should certainly not give him a place at the next "podium".
Dave Stone
Flyover country
- Posted by Dave Stone
August 12, 2009 4:15 PM
All: The reasons why folks have behaved as they have at these meetings are as complex as humanity itself. Far too
many folks, including some folks here, are trying to pigeonhole these folks into convenient buckets of one size or
another. That's stupid, dangerous, and counterproductive.
While I'm not in favor of disrupting meetings, I recognize that those who came to disrupt may have done so because
they believe they have no voice any longer, and this is the only way they can think of to reclaim one. Under those
circumstances most folks will tend to become unruly. Does that make them evil? Maybe or maybe not, but what it does
indicate for certain is that something upstream is already broken. The thing that's broken is the bond of trust between us
as citizens, and between us and our government. There have been far too many lies over the past 45+ years, and all
those chickens are now coming home to roost. Unfortunately, the chickens are mutants that are 8' tall, have bat skin
rather than feathers, and feast on human flesh. The Congressmen sailing into the firestorms have demonstrated this
collapse of trust. How do we repair that? That's probably the important question to ponder, and it deserves a more
serious answer than "talk radio is at fault" or "it's just those Republicans" or "it's just those Democrats" or "it's the mass
media". Easy answers in this case are going to be both incomplete and incorrect--count on it.
John's comments on how to handle an unruly crowd are not off the mark, in my opinion. His example of the executive at
the beginning is useful. The executive should have been sensitive to the crowd he was going to deal with, and to the
situation as it was at the time.
- Posted by arclight
August 13, 2009 7:54 AM

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Know when to hold'em and know when to fold'em?

You have to entertain the crowd. That is why you are up there speaking to them. John Chambers is a tent show
preacher who sells climate change to oil companies. Steve Jobs lets his technology entertain behind him. Ed Zander can
show fascinating meaning in a simple market curve, while he thanks the people who helped put it together. On and on.
You also have to give the crowd something they want - cool information. Stuff that resonates with ehy they are there
and that they think they can use themselves. The three examples above do excatly that too.
A political event like the health care meetings fail because the pol's neither entertain or sell or give anything useful to the
crowd. They are there for themselves only and to sell what they have already decided. That does not work in bad times
with people who care about it. They are in effect not entertaining and lying without giving any real information. A recipe
for disaster with people who are there because they really care.
- Posted by JV
August 13, 2009 1:22 PM
I believe this topic was selected after witnessing the recent events at townhall meetings. Remember the citizens of this
country, are this country. Not the elected officials. In fact, the citizens should control the meetings and the Public
Servants need to remember that they are Public SERVANTS, at their own request, and confirmed with our votes to be
SERVANTS, not a higher class of citizen. Those who don't remember history are destined to repeat it. We are
resembling Rome, and we're a collection of selfish, godless people with the "haves" and the "have nots". What do we
expect? If you want to control the crowd, meet the crowd's needs as a loving parent would meet their child's needs.
When executives and elected officials accept the position as one of service to others, balance and crowd calm will be
restored. It's not an "ego-booster", or an "easy job with lots of perks". It should be hard work for the honest, wise, and
well disciplined.
- Posted by Tadpole
August 13, 2009 2:28 PM
No one knows better how to handle an unruly mob than a teacher. Here's the trick:
1. People want to be listened to - so write down what they tell you on a board.
2. If one person is trying to take over the meeting - invite him or her up to the front. You move to the side and write
down what they say.
3. When they start to repeat themselves, gently show them the board and say "is there anything else?"
4. Then ask for some opposing views or more comments.
These political figures think their job is to defeat every argument. This pisses people off. They should nod, respectfully,
and write down what they hear.
- Posted by Lori Unterkoefler
August 17, 2009 5:05 PM
I am not formally educated and I read these posts with a desire to learn and grow. Aside from the political sparring, the
only REAL down to earth (hey that just might work) advice is the post by Lori Unterkoefler. Lori, you are a genious and I
will use your suggestions at my next board meeting. Thank you for something useful.
OBTW I have had military medical coverage for the last 26 years and I fear government run healthcare. If you need
proof just dig... because the Travis AFB Airman who lost his legs during a routine gallbladder surgery is not alone. If
military personell were allowed to have recourse for medical malpractice you would hear so much more. In a
Government run healthcare system bad doctors will not get fired they'll just quietly get transferred somewhere else. The
military does it ALL the time!
- Posted by Jessica Mang
August 17, 2009 6:05 PM
I must agree with Mr. Sedlik eventhough the caps were not an effective way to communicate his point. I was really
interested in getting tips and strategic direction on how to prepare for an unruly crowd while getting your point across at
the same time. I am preparing for one of those meetings myself with the community that I serve over a very
controversial issue. But, it is essential that I educate and inform but also ensure their voice is warranted, heard and
respected at the same time. The points communicated in the article were not new ideas or anything anyone would not
know before going into this type of situation. Actually I don't think that these points are any different than preparing for
any type of presentation for that matter. When I read the article, Unruly Crowd, I would think that you would get

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something above the normal public speaking 101.

Mr. Baldoni this is definitely a great subject matter so I hope you are able to re-run this article with more substanance in
the future.
- Posted by Nikole Collins-Puri
October 9, 2009 7:41 PM
It also helps to humanize yourself in the face of your audience. I will have a picture of my family on my desktop and
often use pictures of my kids in a powerpoint (dogs, grandkids, hobbies, etc work also). It is harder to attack or be
hostile to someone who you have connected with early on some level. I also get to presentations early and talk to
audience members and create a respectful rapport with as many as possible. I like to be set up before they start
wandering in so this is possible.
- Posted by Michael Steinbruck
December 11, 2009 9:31 AM
A number of questions came into my mind when I saw the subject of unruly crowds. I suppose the correct answer would
be to understand the context of the unruliness. As a professional speaker, I have a predetermined subject which has
been agreed to by the meeting planner in writing. They have a right to interview me ahead of time. My role as a
presenter is to ensure that I am following the scope of the agreement and delivering the service I was paid to prvide.
Having said that, I have had a few occassions where a less than friendly group shows up in place of the fabulously
inquisitive and appreciative group I was promised. There are three steps that I follow in almost any case. These steps
reflect my proactive desire to maintain a level of preparedness and professionalism.
Step one is to assess. Before you mount the stage or step behind the lectern, arrive in enough time to gather some
pre-feedback from around the room. Knowing that one of the audience members is the current mayor who has
expressed some strong feelings about the subject can certainly save you while you are in the glare of the lights. I will
often seek out the grumpiest looking person in the room (body language and eye contact are two good indicators) and
engage them in a brief chat. This will often reveal information about potential mine fields that are coming your way.
Step two is to appreciate. Something is so importnat to that person that they are going outside of the norm to
communicate with the group around them. Realistically, you are more often than not the messenger for the idea or
persuasion you are presenting. If you are the author, that makes it even more important to appreciate their direct
feedback. As another writer has already said, you may have to switch gears as quickly as possible to go feom an
information providing activity to an information gathering activity. Listening rahter than forming your next arguement will
always be the best path forward.
Step three is to applaud the people who have legitimate concerns. Making them the enemy may work for a short time,
but you may quickly find that the group surrounds its members when an outsider attacks. Even people who may have
agreed with you previously will turn on you for attacking one of their own. I am wildy opposed to using the comedian
tactc of counter-bantering sicne it could make you seem shallow and unreasonable.
If the person or persons who are heckling are just bored or out of control insitigators, revert back to the contract or
arrangement you made with the meeting planner. If you fail badly, get feedback for the next time and learn from your
mistakes. A passionate and well reasoned speech will more often than not win the day, even over hecklers. But if it
does not, be willing to look at your own presentation and the setting to which you agreed to speak. If you follow those
steps, I believe from my experience that you will be better prepared to give your "customer" the product that you agreed
to provide.
- Posted by Bob MacPherson
December 11, 2009 3:22 PM

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