Get the Hook: When Speakers Hog the Spotlight

It's been declared that Senator Obama is the democratic nominee. In politics or sports, when one person's numbers exceed his opponent's scores it's customary to bow out gracefully. This was not the case for Hillary Clinton. She continued to command the spotlight without any mention of an end to her campaign. So when is it to time to leave the stage? And how do you stop a speaker who exceeds the time limit?

Time is valuable to any audience. When a speaker ignores the clock, the audience feels frustrated and disrespected.

There are a few reasons why speakers don't end on time:


Lack of Preparation-They didn't rehearse out loud and time themselves and they have too much material.

Ego-They love the sound of their own voices and take advantage of a captive audience.

Time Cut Short-The previous speaker spilled over to the next time slot and the speaker doesn't know how to shorten the speech.

Nobody complains when a speaker finishes early.
But when a speaker drones on and hogs the spotlight it's time to get the hook. Here's what the moderator can say:


"Thank you, John. What's one thought you'd like to leave us with ?"

"Please help me thank Katherine." (applaud)

"Bill we're coming up on the one minute mark. Do you want to continue and skip the Q&A?"

"What a great presentation. Thank you" (start applauding)

Say out loud, "One minute is left."

Play loud music or lower the lights to let them know the time is up.

If you find that you're running out of time, finish your point and fast forward to your conclusion. Come to an end and look for the nearest exit.

Don't let them get the hook.

Fight, Flight, or Above the Fray

What do you do when your audience or co-workers come after you? How do you maintain your equilibrium and credibility without seeming weak?

Most of the Democratic Presidential debates have been mild. You could say that initially the candidates were politely boring. One reason for this was that Barack Obama had set a new standard by rejecting mudslinging tactics. His demeanor elevated the level of political debate to a higher consciousness that had not been experienced. He stayed above the fray.

When Bill Clinton began to make exaggerated claims about Obama, his response was to defend himself without attacking. He spoke directly to the audience and challenged Bill's disparaging remarks. He referred to Clinton as factually incorrect. He never used the emotionally charged words of liar, lies, or lying. In this instance, he stayed above the fray. When someone attacks or misrepresents you, it’s imperative to protect your reputation. State the facts and quickly correct the misperceptions.

More recently, when Hillary attacked Barack's record and he retaliated, it started to get a bit ugly. By attacking her, he gave her the ammunition and an opening to defend herself by denigrating his reputation. The lesson here is: don’t play someone else’s game.

Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Back in the 1970s, tennis champ Bobby Riggs challenged the female champion Margaret Court. He was out to prove that a woman couldn’t beat a man at tennis. He psyched her out. Margaret lost.

The next challenger was Billie Jean King. She was ready for him and insisted on playing her way. He played a tough game but Billie Jean won. She didn’t play his game. She played her own game.

In sports, politics, and the world of work, there will always be sparring matches. Correct inaccuracies, stick to your message points, but avoid attacking hecklers. Don’t get sucked into their strategy.

Choose to defend yourself or choose to leave - but stay above the fray.

Whether you win or lose depends on how you play the game.