How to be a supportive audience member.

  In Toastmasters we often focus primarily on being the speaker. We try to improve how we write, deliver and conclude our speeches. This is to be expected and is an awesome thing.  We also are often members of the audience,  I would dare say way more than we serve as a speaker. How do we do this well? 

1.  Clap!   Yes in toastmasters love to clap!  This is a great thing. when speakers are introduced show you appreciate them and clap!   After they conclude their speech,  clap!   This also prepares the speaker for larger or different  audiences where they will be introduced in this way. 

2.  Listen and give feedback.  Basic respect would certainly guide us to listen and hear what a speaker is presenting to us. We should be for the most part watching and listening intently.  This obviously includes not talking with other members of the audience. Occasionally writing a note for evaluation or for you personal benefit is ok but generally we show the respect that preparing a delivering a speech deserves.  If they say something funny laugh, if they say something wise and you agree node yes! Smile when they look at you!   I would say generally refrain from giving negative feedback. What if you disagree with them?  Well you can talk to them later about it and have a civil discussion but generally during the speech keep that to yourself. That is one mans opinion... even if the speaker is speaking on something and taking a position we disagree with I think they and the speech deserve the respect to hear it out. 

3.  Participate when appropriate or be quiet.  When a speaker has a speech where there is Q&A Think of a good question that would be of interest perhaps to you but also the audience in general. It can be awkward when a speaker opens up a time of questions and no one asks any questions.    The other side of that coin when someone is giving a speech be quiet! I know especially in a club setting we get very comfortable with each other and may make a comment when someone is giving their speech. This generally is to be discouraged. When a speaker is speaking they have the floor. We as audience respect that and just listen quitely.  We should hold our comments until after the speech and we can talk to them personally.   There are many more elements to this point. When a distraction happens minimize it for the speaker. If you forgot to silence your phone and it starts making noise turn the sound off asap If someone else phone goes off don't be looking behind you or around focusing the attention away from the speaker.   Just minimize or eliminate it asap and keep right on paying attention to the speaker. 

  We as toastmasters,  given enough time, will have  many different things happen while we are giving speeches. As audience members we can certainly empathize with what a speaker will be dealing with.   The golden rule applies here. As a presenter, how would you like the your audience to act? Go and act accordingly.