Speaking Tips for a Bored Audience - Allpublicspeakers

All audiences are bored. If not now, then soon. Listening is boring, and listening to boring people talk about boring work in boring ways is even more boring. As a speaker I go in thinking “these people are probably bored to death from the last guy”, as I would be. Here’s a fun trick: next time you are in an audience at a lecture, look to your left and your right. You’ll notice how bored everyone is, even if the speaker is doing a decent job.

Your audience may be bored … or just need an energy/bathroom break if …


1.They are yawning
2.They are fidgeting
3.They are playing with their portable devices
4.They are talking or whispering to their neighbors
5.They are sleeping
6.They are slouching in there seats
7.They are leaning their chin on their hand and frowning
8.They are spacing out, their eyes are glazed over
9.They are leaning back and not making eye contact
10.They aren’t responding … no laughter, no questions, no applause at appropriate points

The surprise is there’s a huge advantage if the audience is bored. Their expectations are low. If you do anything interesting at all, such as not be boring, you will stand out. If you prepared correctly (meaning you practiced, have clear points, are enthusiastic about them, and understand why the audience showed up) you’ll look like a rock star.

People will perk up instantly when you start answering the question they came into the room to hear. If you choose those as your first words, you’ll have them out of the gate. And when they hear you are answering it well, you will have their full attention. It’s that simple. But few speakers have good material, or more bluntly, good thinking on the right questions in their material, that this often does not happen. Pretense, fear and ego blind smart people into doing stupid things, in lectures and at large.

The other challenge is it’s hard to judge an audience as you are presenting. The vibe you feel on stage can be different from what the audience is feeling. All performers know this, and prepare themselves to go on with the show with enthusiasm even if they don’t get the energy from the room they hoped for.

(Ojijo is a ICT lawyer, author of 31 books, performance poet, armature pianist, luo culture expert, business systems consultant, career mentor, public speaker and coach:+256776100059: ojijo@allpublicspakers.com)