Once upon a time, a speaker would be interrupted only by hecklers or an urgent message that needed to be delivered to an audience member. Today, electronic intrusions are all too common. Cell phones not only ring but people actually answer them during the program. Some audience members answer e-mail on handhelds while others work on laptops. And horrors of horrors - a presenter was observed becoming bored by a tedious question from the audience and proceeded to take out a cell phone and start text messaging.

Have manners gone the way of the dodo bird and the passenger pigeon? Is rude our middle name? Have we become so oblivious to the magnetic sucking of technology that we become oblivious to our behavior? Or should we be grateful that instant communications allow us to receive extremely urgent messages related to our work or our families? There's a cautionary "yes" in each one of these questions. The trick is for speakers to know how to handle such intrusions appropriately. A poll of Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) netted some fascinating ideas for keeping attendees focused on the session and not on technology.

Set the Stage

• Build the announcement into your script. Savvy speakers don't assume that the introducer or announcer will ask participants to turn off cell phones or put them on mute - they mention it themselves. Linda Swindling, CSP, JD, holds up her phone and says, "How many of you have a cell phone? Where? Show me … great … unless you're expecting a baby or have someone in the hospital, let's turn them off together."
• Use humor. Asking audience members to put their cell phones on "stun" or "evaporate" will generally get a laugh and compliance. C. Leslie Charles, CSP, asks her audiences to "experience the relief from constant accessibility and engage in the courageous act of cellus interruptus."
• Create a charitable reason. Michel Lee, CSP, supports the American Cancer Society. At the beginning of each program he states: "If your cell phone or other electronic device goes off during the program, you get to write a check for $5 to the American Cancer Society." He claims that a woman once came up to the platform immediately after the announcement and gave him a check for $20. He told her that she didn't need to pay $5 until after her phone rang, and she said, "I'm waiting for an important call and I know my phone is going to sound, so here's my money now!" It did, but no one complained because the money was going to a good cause.
• Create a WIFM?(what's in it for me) reason. As a sales trainer, Jim Doyle, CSP, announces that he used to hate cell phones but now loves them. Then he tells the audience he loves them because if a phone rings during the session, the owner will buy the rest of the room drinks after they are done with the full-day session. He estimates that by 3:00 p.m. his groups are calling each other trying to see if someone has their phone on. When a phone does go off, the entire room cheers.

Other Ways to Minimize Interruptions

• Practice the art of the silent look. It's amazing how silence or a whisper brings everyone's attention center stage.
• Apply humor in the moment. Mike Hoffman, CSP, always stops, turns an ear to the ceiling, and says, "Yes, Lord?" He gets a laugh and then addresses the group saying, "Well, sometimes He calls, you know. You gotta be ready." This brings lighthearted focus to the issue. Dr. Manny Steil, CSP, CPAE, walks over to offenders and says, "If that's who I think it is, tell them I said hello."
• Ask for compliance. Many people don't realize that their behavior is disruptive. Some speakers will approach the offender at the break. Steve Waterhouse, CSP, once asked a CEO to refrain from checking e-mail as it was distracting and the employees valued this man's time and attention. He complied immediately.

With all this advice, the burden still rests on the speaker to be so sufficiently compelling that the audience would rather listen than do anything else. At the same time, audiences are adults, life does bring us interruptions, and unless it's interfering with others, ignoring the interruption might work just fine!

Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE is a prominent keynoter and author in the areas of self-leadership and work life balance. Her two newest books are Talk Ain't Cheap-It's Priceless:-Connecting in a Disconnected World and Gifts From the Mountain: Simple Truths for Life's Complexities. Reach her at www.eileenmcdargh.com. She promises that electronics will not interrupt your conversation!

These tips should be used for informational purposes and not be considered legal advice.

The National Speakers Association (NSA) is the leading educational organization for professional speakers. NSA's 3,500 members include experts in a variety of industries and disciplines, who reach audiences as trainers, educators, humorists, motivators, consultants, authors, and more. As a service to meeting professionals, NSA provides resources and information on finding and working with speakers. Please visit NSA's Web site at www.nsaspeaker.org.