Here’s an amusing subject. Interruptions.
I can do a video on this. It's best done like the video on Indian head shake signals with demonstrations.
Imagine you are the interruption, or simply announce what the interruption is, and I can react.
I have a speech on the subject of interruptions.Prepare for interruptions.
1 Biggest interruption ever: EARTHQUAKE in the middle of your speech.
Al Jolson - San Francisco (?) earthquake - he said, “You ain’t heard nothing yet.”
I never thought it would happen to me.
When it did, I was not the speaker but in the audience.
I was welcomed with a group of travel press journalists to Zakinthos, where the mayor and local tourism chief gave speeches on how safe their island was (meaning your luggage won’t get stolen).
Huge bang. Greeks ran out, not thinking we would need to be told what to do. Brits, puzzled, carried on drinking beer and wine, wondering where everyone had gone, we though to investigate. Sugdenly somebody said - it’s en earthquake - quick - rum outside!"
TM without interruptions is not real life. Manuals should cover hecklers, losing your slides because computers won’t link to venue equipment, microphones not working. At Harrovians we once did a topics session in which each topic was interrupted;
2 Appeal for member to move a car. Chairperson/speaker deals with this.
3 Speaker’s called to phone by building staff - mother has urgent message. Chairperson must set up backup ‘worst case scenario - missing speaker - plan. Every committee member should have spare speech in pocket.
4 Women wearing towels walk through room (area contest in central hallway of leisure centre - TM Alan MacMahon will recall).
5 Drunk interrupts speeches with swearing and tells us to read the bible, threatens us with dogs. (Happened to Harrovians picnic in the harrow park). SAA / president must have phone numbers of police and neighbourhood watch. Backup venue.
6 caterers cross stage to deliver or collect drinks and deliver hot dinners (Excalibur in pub),
7 SAA job from back of hall. Chairman on stage should not be abandoning the speaker.
8 Constant noise from adjacent hotel/venue kitchen.
9 Have sign on door giving type of meeting, hours of meeting, whether strangers welcome or tickets needed - how to get them - for early arrivals, latecomers and other users of building.
10 Members of ballet class arrive in wrong venue too early.
11 SAA background music on tannoy, shopping centre tannoy announces Santa Claus arrival - know the building organisers and where to go for help.
12 Bouquet delivered to speaker by mistake (all based on events we’d experienced),
13 Singers at Happy Birthday party next door (HOD at golf club). Change rooms.
Plan, Praise, Joke, and Thank.
For example, 'Thank you for that wonderful bouquet. I knew my speech was good but I didn't realise I was that good. It's addressed to the bride and groom. I wasn't planning to get married today. I think this must be for the banqueting hall. Will somebody kindly show this delivery person the way. Thank you so much, Henry. It may be some time before we see Henry or the flowers again. Where was I, before that delightful distraction. Ah yes, I was talking about planning a dinner party. Of course, you should have a flower arrangement on the table.'
