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How to get an executive to use a
microphone? We have a couple of execs who get macho or something, and
insist on just hollering at a large crowd instead of using an available
microphone.
Q. At our company we have some
executives who refuse to use the available microphone when they
are speaking in front of large groups.
These execs are somewhere
between proud and defiant about NOT using a microphone!
Too bad
they can't understand that the people in the back do NOT hear
them!
What to do?
A. Don't be too hard on people who
behave as you describe. You are right: they don't realize that
they can't be heard.
Try saying, "You sure give a good talk,
but you know with these acoustics, people absolutely cannot
understand you without the microphone." Or, enlist a peer or
boss of the speaker to help discuss the issue.
Another idea is to
convince the exec that the speech must be recorded for posterity,
which of course makes the microphone a necessity. (Also, make
sure you have a sound system that is worth using!)
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