Blog

About hecklers of candidates

June 03, 2016, 04:16:56 AM by Kerry

About hecklers of candidates

Candidates miss excellent opportunities to demonstrate their leadership-skills—specifically, their ability to plan, supervise, and conduct a gathering in a way that works for all concerned.

For example, a candidate would announce at the beginning:

Let me begin by stating the purpose of this meeting and to make clear the agreement for this meeting.

Once you've heard the purpose, and can agree to the agreement, you may then choose to stay or leave. 

The purpose of this presentation is for me to communicate in such a way as to inspire you to vote for me.
Towards the end the assistants will pass around a microphone for 2-minute sharings* (comments/suggestions/questions).


To be clear, this is a presentation. It is not a debate. A debate is where both parties get equal time to present and argue their positions.

It is a presentation. It is not a forum. A forum is where participants can have equal time for their thoughts; forum rules are supported by a designated forum leader.

It is a presentation. It is not a town hall meeting where one gets to have floor time.

If we don't have time to answer your question you may ask it on a Question Form that will be provided out in the lobby as you leave. I will read every form.

Let's go over the agreement: 

By staying you are agreeing to politely remain silent while hearing opposing viewpoints. You are agreeing that you and I have the right to have our own point of view, to rent a venue such as this so as to have permission to speak without interruption. Specifically, this meeting is for me to share my thoughts with you. If you can agree with this  then please stay. If you think that you won't be able to be polite and allow me to speak without interruption, please leave now. In other words, if you interrupt me you will be asking all of us to ask you to leave immediately. Please raise your hand if you cannot agree to refrain from interrupting me. You may of course leave politely and silently at any time.


*
The rules for open mic sharing are: No blaming, no badmouthing, no name calling.
The rules for open mic listening are: Raise your hand if you hear someone being abusive.

Last edited 8/3/16