How to Respond to a Heckler in Your Audience

Hecklers can ruin a presentation. They distract the speaker and they upset the mood that the speaker wants to create.

Your response to a heckler depends upon many things, such as frequency & type of heckling, size of the audience, and the audience's reaction.

It's also complicated because if you try to counterattack (e.g., insult the heckler), the audience will leave you. This happens because people expect leaders to demonstrate exceptional levels of courtesy, control, and restraint.

At the same time, you must stop the heckler. The audience expects you to fix problems, such as maintaining order during your talk. So, here are some options, in order of increasing severity.

1) Make the person's comment part of your talk or use it as a transition to your next point. If possible, use humor. This may discourage more remarks.

2) If the heckler continues with silly nonsense, tell the audience, "I'm sure some of you have great ideas about this topic. And I'd like you to save them for after I finish."

3) If the heckler is stating complaints or disagreements, then tell the audience, "I'm sure some of you have other views on this. Please save them for after I finish. I'd welcome the opportunity to talk about them later."

4) Stop speaking, go to the heckler, and say privately, "Your remarks are making it hard for me to concentrate (or upsetting people in the audience). I want you to stop. Will you do that?" Then go back onstage and continue.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

PS Want to know more? Here's an article on Business Presentations.