Connect with Audiences Despite Digital Distractions.

“When I’m leading a meeting, I find that people spend a lot of time typing emails. What is your strategy for dealing with the Blackberry problem?”

“When I’m leading a conference call, I know that there are people listening in who aren’t paying attention. They’re surfing the internet, writing memos, making their own phone calls. Are there tricks for making people pay closer attention?”

“People look at their laptops during my presentations. Is there anything I can do about this?”

A lot of people ask me how to keep their listeners from getting distracted by today’s digital technology.  And they never like my answer. But here it is.

BE MORE ENGAGING AS A COMMUNICATOR!

It’s not the listener’s fault that your meeting feels like a waste of time.

Are We All Contracting ADD?

Many communicators blame iPhones and laptops for their audience's failure to pay attention. It’s as if some people think that the Blackberry has created a form of attention deficit disorder that has made it more difficult to connect with listeners.

Many training sessions now begin with the scolding plea “Please turn off your cell phones and pagers.” In the New York Times recently a law professor told of banning laptops during his lectures because he wanted to foster more “active intellectual experience.”

Yeah right Professor.  The laptops are the reason that your law students aren’t paying attention to your soul drainingly dull lecture on long-arm jurisdiction.  Baloney.

Lecture Halls Are Perfect Democracies

Call me a contrarian. But I don’t buy the argument that speaking is more difficult in the digital age.

Lecture halls, conference calls, and meeting rooms are perfect little democracies. Audiences vote with their attention. If people feel the benefit, they will pay attention. If not, they won’t.

And it’s always been that way.  The only difference today is the manner in which attention spans wander.  In the old days, if you were dull, people would fantasize about the opposite sex. Today, if you are dull, people still fantasize about the opposite sex. But they also can tap out emails to their girlfriends on their Blackberries.

If you want to overcome digital distractions, you need to give people a strong reason to pay attention.  You keep them engaged in four ways.

Four Ways to Hold the Audience's Attention

First, start the presentation by stating a simple listener benefit for paying attention.  “During this presentation, I’d like to discuss how your organization can grow its revenues despite increased regulatory scrutiny.” If you don’t tell people a clear reason why they should to listen to you, then they have every right to turn to their Blackberries. 

Second, lay out a simple agenda for your presentation, meeting or conference call. “During this call, I want to discuss three things:  the current regulatory environment, how it’s hurting us, and what we can do about it.”  A clear roadmap gives a sense of what to expect and that you have your thoughts well-organized. That makes it easier to stay focused and pay attention.

Third, whenever possible, ask people questions and let them respond. Interactive is always better.  One-sided presentations, meetings and conference calls multiply the chance of people tuning out. If people are involved in a discussion with you, they won’t be on their Blackberries. That’s a guarantee.

Finally, be passionate. If you’re droning on like that dull teacher in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” people aren’t going to pay attention. But if you’re excited, they will listen.

It’s easy to blame the digital age for making it harder to connect with audiences. Don’t buy it. The fault dear speaker likes not in your listeners’ iPhones but in your skills as a communicator.

Joey Asher is President of Speechworks, a selling and communication skills coaching company in Atlanta. He has worked with thousands of business people in helping them become better communicators. He is the author of “Even A Geek Can Speak”, and “Selling and Communication Skills for Lawyers”.  He can be reached at 404-266-0888 or e-mail Joey Asher. His website is www.speechworks.net.