Page 214 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

HANDLING HECKLERS 205

Fictional personal attacks are fairly common. Take, for example,
the heckler who shouts something like, “When was the last time you
cheated on your taxes?” This largely rhetorical question is intended
to draw attention to the questioner at the expense of the person
being heckled. It is meant to cast, by suggestion, a bad light on the
morals or character of the speaker, while endowing the heckler with
the higher moral ground. But more often the tactic backfi res, and
the heckler winds up looking like the bad guy.
You might recast that loaded question this way: “The question
has come up as to whether I pay my taxes like everybody else. The
answer, of course, is yes. Next question?” Or you might want to put
a light touch on the situation by taking a stab at humor: “I admit the
thought has actually crossed my mind. But my wife tells me I’m a
bad liar, so I think I’ll leave cheating to those who have a much
higher tolerance to gambling and the risks of living dangerously.”
The chances of your being heckled in most business or civic
speaking situations are not high. But it’s always nice to be prepared.
The key objectives when dealing with hecklers are:
◆ Be fi rm.
◆ Be courteous.
◆ Control the situation.
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Sometimes it’s tough to be courteous and hold your ground at the
same time. But hecklers have no intention of engaging in rational dis-
course. Hecklers throw caution to the winds. They bully and grab all
they can when they can, leaving most of their targets feeling frus-
trated and violated and without a clue of how to
appropriately respond.
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Here are a few simple tips that could help if the going gets tough
and someone starts heckling: