8 Great Tips For What To Do When A Speech Is Interrupted

In preparing to make a speech, what should I be anticipating? I’ve made the speech before, but afterward I wondered if I would be as lucky next time. My sympathies are with British Prime Minister Theresa May, who certainly hadn’t planned on having an allergy attack while making a speech recently.

–Edwina, Chicago

Not much more could have gone wrong during a recent conference event that made international headlines, but I have to give Theresa May a lot of credit for soldiering through by keeping posed and not losing her wonderful sense of humor.

A good speech needn’t turn bad. Be prepared for the worst possible case scenario by planning accordingly:

Don’t freeze up or panic.
Accept whatever interruption happens.
Don’t think about how you look, your audience really does want you to succeed.
Throw your shoulders back and keep them that way while smiling.
Acknowledge the interruption and when your audience is ready continue.
Find out who you would turn to if something did go wrong, such as the sound system and remember their first name. Publicly thank them for their help.
Never blame anyone for the distraction. Just be polite. Grace under stress is an endearing quality.
At the end of the day, you want to roll with the punches and go with the flow. Look at interruptions as distractions for an opportunity for levity and a blessing in disguise to show adaptability, humor, and most of all, that you’re human.

A really great two minute warm up you can do before any presentation or entrance is to practice Amy Cuddy’s Power Pose. View Ms. Cuddy’s TED talk on body language at

https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are