How to Handle a Hostile Audience

As a mayor, city council member, or any governmental official you will have to know how to handle a hostile audience. Have you ever encountered a hostile audience and didn't know how to handle it properly? These tips should clear things up:

Image: The Secrets of Public Speaking

1. Listen carefully to the question & repeat it aloud - Make sure you understood the question correctly & that your audience knows the question to which you are responding.

2. Answer directly. Look directly at the person asking the question - Give simple answers to simple questions. If the question demands a lengthy reply, agree to discuss it later with anyone interested.

3. Refer to your Speech - Whenever possible, tie your answer to a point in your speech. Look upon these questions as a way to reinforce & clarify your presentation.

4. Anticipate areas of questioning - Prepare factual support material in three or four areas in which you anticipate questions.

5. Be friendly, always keep your temper - A cool presentation creates an aura of confidence. When the questioner is hostile respond as if he or she were a friend. Any attempt to "put down" your questioner with sarcasm will immediately draw the audience's sympathy to the questioner.

6. Always tell the truth - If you try to bend the truth, you almost always will be caught. Play it straight, even if your position is momentarily weakened.

7. Treat two questions from the same person as two separate questions

8. Don't place your hands on your hips or point at the audience - These are scolding poses and give you the appearance of preaching.

9. Keep things moving - There is a rhythm to a good question-and-answer exchange. They volley back & forth in a brisk manner. Keep your answers brief and to the point with many members of the audience participating.

10. Conclude smartly - Be prepared with some appropriate closing remarks. End with a summary statement that wraps up the essential message you want them to remember.

If you have any experience of handling a hostile audience, comment below. When Congressmen go home during their recess, they are going to have to deal with people angry about the Health Care Bill. Congressman may want to read this blog. But to those of you who deal with smaller issues-be prepared for a controversial issue that may arise in the future. Good luck to all!

Abraham Lincoln's Leadership

Learning from great leaders is one of the ways to make ourselves improve. Don’t ever think you can’t make it because Abraham Lincoln had the odds against him to be leader of the free world. He was the CEO of a corporation but never had a college education. He fought back a stock holder’s revolt. He marketed an old but unique product in new form. Lincoln rose above his circumstances, can you?

Share a Vision: Lincoln started out as a farmer but didn’t intend to stay there his whole life. He studied surveying and the law to get ahead.

Be a Great Communicator: He communicated his core beliefs to his audience through humor, speeches, and letters to newspaper editors.

Demand Excellence from Yourself: Lincoln spent a lot of time preparing for the Gettysburg Address even with the Civil War occurring.

Learn from Failure: Lincoln failed in business a couple times, defeated for Illinois State Assembly, had a nervous breakdown, defeated for Speaker of Illinois State Assembly, defeated for presidential elector, defeated for US Congress twice, defeated at Senate twice, and defeated for Vice President of the newly formed Republican Party. He wasn’t afraid to fail and he eventually became President because of his courage.

Be a Team Leader: Everyone who Lincoln appointed to his cabinet believed they should’ve been President instead of him. He won the Civil War with their support.

Believe in Yourself When No One Else Does by Having Courage of Your Convictions: When people asked Lincoln why he was confident about his decisions he said, “I desire to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside me.”

Show Compassion: In Lincoln’s second Inaugural Address he was quoted saying, “With malice toward none; with charity for all.” He offered help to the South which he defeated. He helped heal the north and south divide.

No one could’ve predicted Lincoln would’ve accomplished so much so don’t sell yourself short. All you need is to believe in yourself. The opportunities are endless!

To read the whole article on Lincoln go to The Presidential Expert.

40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes...

When you watch this video ask yourself:

• What do these people have in common?
• What makes their speech inspirational-confidence, common goal?
• Why do we remember these people and their speeches-what makes them stand out from the rest?

Tell us your thoughts on these great speeches and what you think you lack to give an inspirational speech. We will respond to your comments because we want to make you better.

Claim your free 15 minute phone consultation.

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1. any challenges you experience in your leadership roles

2. any way specific skills you want to improve on

3. your future goals as a public or organizational leader

After the call, I will send you a personalized evaluation on how exactly you can improve your public speaking and leadership skills in order to really achieve your goals. The feedback that I'll be sending your will be based on the wealth of knowledge that our team has put together in our areas of expertise.


I can be reached at 802-735-1374 any time between 9am and 5pm, Monday through Friday. The call will be kept completely confidential to protect your privacy.

Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you!

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Plus Register for our Pilot Program August 22-23 at the Courtyard Marriot and the Downtown Hilton, Burlington, VT

How to Manage the Media

Do you have any concerns about giving a good interview on TV, radio, or newspaper? This video should be a good start to clear up any issues you have. If you still have questions, don't hesitate to comment on the blog, and we'll get back to you with solutions.

This video will describe how to deliver the right response in TV and newspaper interviews:

How to Master Question and Answer Situations

Question and answer situations arise in speeches and you'll have to know how to handle them successfully. Does question and answer situations make you sweat? Watch this video to learn how to deliver the perfect answer every time. If you still have questions after watching, don't hesitate to leave a comment and we'll do our best to answer. We are here to help!

What is your number one fear about public speaking?

What's your biggest fear about public speaking. Let me know, I'll find a remedy for it. Personally.

We are here to help you out so get those fingers typing...

The Mayor’s Leadership Role

I found a great article on the Muncipal Research and Services Center webpage about the leadership of mayors. Since our company is targeting mayors, this is a perfect article to highlight.

The mayor is the highest position in the municipal government and the head of the city. They are expected to provide leadership to keep everything moving smoothly to make life better. Effective mayors see themselves not only as leaders but also as teammates with others in the government.

Identify issues and needs:

Before you set goals, you have to come to an agreement on what needs to be done. Narrow down the list to a number of workable problems that needs to be addressed.

Set Goals:

Elected officials must work together to set mutual goals. The staff will then have clear guidelines to have things accomplished and you’ll have a clear way to evaluating the programs and services. Goals will keep your administration on track.

Set priorities:

This is the most important step in goal-setting. Decide what areas need attention right away and which ones can be delayed. A ranking system can help you determine which issues are more important.

Evaluate the results:

Create a process to evaluate how you reach your goals.

There are several areas of leadership roles as a mayor…

Ceremonial role:

Ceremonies are never ending as a mayor. It is expected that a mayor shows up in the public as a leader whether it’s cutting ribbons or breaking ground for new construction.

Intergovernmental relations:

Keep in contact with the federal, state, county, and school officials. Mayors need to reach out to people outside the city who might use the city to do joint-ventures that include other local governments.

Public Relations:

Dealing with the media, public, and staff is all in the circle of public relations. It’s important to put forward a great message to gain support.

Dealing with citizens:

Listening is a really good skill mayors need to use when dealing with the public. Inform the public and encourage participation. Expect complaints, but have a way to deal with them.

Dealing with the media:

A good relationship with the media is one in which you help the media out, and they help you out in return. You can use the media to gain support for governmental issues you need passed.

Clarifying your Values

Check out our new YouTube video about:

Clarifying your Values. How to Connect your Values to your Position on Community Issues.

Some of the points are:

• Find your values you identify with.
• Build a position on each of your communities issues.
• Incorporting values into your speech will make it a lot stronger.

John F. Kennedy's Leadership

I found a great write-up from The Presidental Expert on John F. Kennedy that I wanted to share with you.

Set high goals by sharing a vision: In his acceptance speech he said, "We stand on the edge of a New Frontier, the frontier of the 1960s....Beyond that Frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus." He pushed Americans to stand up and take charge. Another goal was to have a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

Set an example by becoming a role model: Kennedy broke barriers because he was a young President. He went hatless which was a new fashion statement. He smoked cigars but not in public to set a good example for children.

Be a lifelong learner: Kennedy spent a lot of time sick in bed as a kid. He read to pass the time. His favorite books were, The Arabian Nights, Pilgrim’s Progress, and King Arthur and His Knights. He took a speed reading course to increase his skills. As President, he could read large amounts of material instead of reading summaries.

Doing the little things that lead to big things: Kennedy and his brother were taught as kids to never whine or complain by their father. He was taught to do better in sports each time he played. The football coach at his prep school said, "The most burning thing I can remember about Jack was that he was a fighter. You take Joe, he was a real athlete. But Jack made up for what he lacked in athletic ability with his fight."

Be a great communicator: He wasn’t naturally a great speaker. He spoke in a high pitched tone when he ran for Congress. Once he decided he wanted to run for President, he delivered every speech with passion. His charisma showed through when he debated with Nixon.

Take responsibility: He took responsibility for wrong doing squarely on himself. He was quoted saying, “I know when things don't go well, they like to blame the President and that is one of things Presidents are paid for.”

Demand excellence from others: Kenney’s speech writer, Ted Sorenson wrote a speech for Kennedy one time. Kennedy asked him if it was the best speech he could write. Sorenson said no and re-wrote the speech. He had to re-write the speech three times to be up to Kennedy’s standards.

Kennedy’s leadership skills will never be forgotten. Behind his charisma was substance. Learn how to carry yourself from great leaders like him.

Presidential Leadership

I found a great article from The Presidential Expert, Dr. Schoenberg on Ronald Reagan. (He received his Ph.D. in history from New York University. He has taught classes on the life-changing lessons that we can learn from the presidents for various branches of the City University of New York, St. Francis College and Fordham University.)

All of us can look at U.S. Presidents and see great examples of leadership. Ronald Reagan was no exception.

Vision: Ronald Reagan was called “the Great Communicator” because he inspired Americans with his vision. You can learn to be a dream-maker from Reagan. He communicated an optimistic vision of America when he said America is, "still a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom for all the pilgrims from the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness toward home."

Have High Self Esteem: Reagan believed in himself. Even though he was the son of an alcoholic, he still remembered the good times in his childhood.

Nice Guys Finish First: People might have disagreed with Reagan, but they still liked him as a person. He attacked the issues and not people. He used his sense of humor to his advantage.

Work Smart, Don’t Work Hard: Reagan liked the work schedule 9-5. When he was the governor of California, he told people to go home when he left office. He focused on the big picture when he gave direction to his administration and not the little details. (image: Here Be Dragons)

Delegate! Reagan accomplished so much because he delegated so much. He believed in appointing good people that shared his values that could push his policy through.

Be a Great Communicator: He started out as a disk jockey, became a movie star, then a television pitchman, President of the Screen Actors Guild, Governor of California, then leader of the free world. He could articulate a message that touched the hearts of millions of Americans.

Be a Decision Maker: Learn to trust your gut in situations. Reagan stuck with his economic policies even when the economy was tanking because he knew it was the right thing to do. He didn’t rely on public opinion polls to make decisions.

Stay Focused: He passed his policies because he focused on one issue at a time. He was willing to compromise to get his programs passed.

Show Sensitivity or Compassion: In 1981 when he was almost killed by John Hinckley he told his daughter that his recovery depended on him forgiving Hinckley. He didn’t let a grudge transpire so he could lead without a chip on his shoulder.

Whether you like him or not, there is a lot to learn from Ronald Reagan. Follow the blog for updates on the leadership other U.S. Presidents.

It’s Bo the intern and I came across 10 ways to not be nervous while public speaking from The Leaders Institute. There is nothing worse than botching a speech so read this before you give your next speech…

1. 90% of nervousness doesn’t show.

2. Don’t read your notes word for word. Only do this when you need to be precise. If you speak with limited notes, it will add more character to your speech.

3. Don’t memorize your speech word for word. This will cause more anxiety if you can’t remember the exact words. Write down or memorize main ideas.

4. Show up early. When you do this you will have time to talk to your audience, and test your equipment. (image: OnDeafEars.com)

5. Take deep breaths. When you take deep breaths the speed of your speech will be the same. If you are nervous and take short breaths you can’t always finish your sentence so you speed up. If this happens, take a deep breath and continue.

6. Look for a friendly face; it will put you at ease.

7. Put your hands down if you aren’t using them to make a gesture. Your hands at your side are a very natural gesture. When you do use your hands to make a gesture, it will be more powerful than if you had your hands up all the time.

8. Speak about topics that you have a background in. This will create a casual conversation that will make the audience feel like you are giving them a speech individually.

9. Be passionate about your topic. This will engage your audience.

10. Practice. Practicing in front of someone is the thing to do.

Everyone gets nervous when they speak, but great speakers don’t show it. Our video series will train you in every aspect of leadership and public speaking.

The First Thing to Do in Any Public Presentation