What Kind of Audience Are You?

What kind of audience are you? Do you listen? Do you pay attention? Do you cheer for the people on stage, wanting them to do their best?

I was reading an interview with an actress that was once in Doctor Who. I suddenly flashed back to a convention I attended years ago where she was one of the guests. During a panel where the guests got to get up and do something silly or just say a few words, she did a routine that she'd normally do at the cabaret evening but couldn't as she had to leave early. It was funny and I remember trying to focus on her, willing her to know that I was paying attention and that it was working. It's not that the room was empty or that no one else was laughing, I just wanted her to succeed for some reason.

I've been to concerts where people ignored the opening band. In all fairness, opening bands can be a mixed bag. Sometimes you just don't click with them. Sometimes they're not very good yet. To just ignore them because they're not the band you want to see just seems mean. Sure sometimes there are things that need to be done, conversations to have, beers to get, but I try to pay them some attention, give them some feedback so they know it'll be okay.

Public speaking is hard. Sometimes listening to a public speaker is hard. They are probably nervous. They may stumble. The subject matter may not interest you. You may be tired and bored and trapped at this meeting. I'll admit this can be rough going. I try and don't always succeed. I do try.

When you're having a conversation, do you listen? Or are you just talking, not really listening to the other person?

What kind of audience are you?

What kind of audience would you want?