Presenting to an unresponsive audience

Did anyone ever warn you, before running a workshop or facilitating a session, that your audience would be unresponsive? 

‘Shola – keep in mind…this group is extremely shy. It’s difficult for them to share and speak. They don’t participate much,’ I was told during a recent briefing.

Yikes!

I’d volunteered to run a hybrid workshop for a charity that serves teenagers living in Kibera, Kenya’s largest informal settlement. 

There were about 30 young people in the classroom, with 3 laptops between them, and I was delivering the Saturday morning session virtually,  from my home office. 

These young people had requested a training session on public speaking and I was concerned that shyness and cultural barriers would get in the way of us having a productive and engaging time together.

Making things a little more challenging was the fact that in Kenyan culture (and many other high power distance cultures, including in Nigeria, where my own family is from), young people are sometimes discouraged from speaking up. 

Little wonder that these students were shy with adult strangers.

They shared about their families, their favourite subjects at school, and the many reasons they wanted to be confident communicators.

And they were absolute superstars!

Despite their fears, they seized the opportunity to participate and I was so grateful to have had some time with them. 

Steps to making meetings more inclusive

Whether you’re struggling during your weekly team meeting or looking for ways to engage during an interactive pitch, here are a few tips for making your meetings more inclusive and boosting participation.

1. Warm people up with an easy question (and let them discuss among themselves first, whether in pairs or breakouts)
2. Then, invite a few participants to share their responses with the entire group (they’ll be warmed up and practised!)
3. If there’s an online component, ask participants to share in the chat – this gets more people involved 
4. Try not to accept answers from the same few people – let the group know that you value a wide range of responses and participation is more important than being poised, polished and confident
5. Give people time to think – wait a few moments before you stop collecting responses
6. Never criticise responses in public, and create safety by encouraging and even praising dissenting views

Big thanks to https://www.volunteersfoundation.org for the opportunity to work with the Kibera students. Please contact them if you’d like to volunteer your services working to help these young people in Kenya.

Communication Corner: Tips to ease into speaking up at meetings

There are some simple things you can do to raise your level of participation. 

I recently delivered a large leadership project, training 400 directors and VPs across my client’s organisation. It was remarkable how many of these leaders felt their team members were holding back and didn’t communicate enough. Most leaders WANT YOU TO SHARE MORE! 🙂

Early in my career I used to DREAD meetings and would rarely say a word. Afterward, I’d walk away feeling embarrassed and miserable. 

Now that more of us are meeting in person again, a quick brush-up of your meeting skills might prove useful. 

This article Want to Learn to Speak Up in Meetings? Try These 7 Tips shares a few tips for getting the attention you deserve during group sessions.

My favourite tip is number 1: give yourself a specific goal. Even if it’s to say one word or make one comment, we’re more likely to take part if we make a plan.

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One of my favourite quotes is from Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking who said:

‘Everyone shines, given the right lighting’.

If you’re a leader, part of your job is to help your team members shine by setting them up for success in an inclusive, supportive environment.

And if you’re that person anxiously waiting for the right moment to shine your light during a meeting, remember that there are things you can do to make it easier for yourself. 

Wishing you a wonderful month 🙂

Shola

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Hi, I’m Shola and I help you create a people-first culture. My work sits at the intersection of Inclusion, Communication & Emotional Intelligence.

My keynote talks and workshops help your leaders and employees create high-performing work environments where people feel a sense of belonging and psychological safety. Sessions are high energy, interactive, and every participant walks away with at least one practical framework for connecting and collaborating more effectively.

Sound good to you? Please reach out and let’s discuss your next event! 🙂🎤✨