Speakers, Use the Damn Microphone
“Does everyone hear me well without it?” the worst speakers speak when they take the stage. If the three people in the front row say yes, the microphone is muted. And then anyone who is hard of hearing (or listening remotely, or sitting in the back of the room) will not hear you. Use the damn microphone, you moron.
Erica Hewitt explains the point of view of the hard of hearing in an article designed for preachers but applicable to all who reach out to the crowd. There are many people in this world who are hard of hearing, including people who need hearing aids but who are too embarrassed to adapt to them. Even when people have hearing aids, hearing aids are not magic. They make louder sounds, including other voices in the room. There is no function that focuses on whoever says “I’ll just speak loudly” and transmits their words to the human brain.
People don’t even need a medical problem with their ears to suffer when you don’t pick up the microphone. For example, depending on the room, you may not have enough access to most people from the back. And if there is a webcast or conference call, any words that are not spoken into the microphone simply disappear on the air.
If you are performing, you have to not only use the damn microphone, but also repeat everything that has not been said into it. If someone asks a question, repeat it for everyone to hear. If another presenter adds a few words, pass that information too (or pass the microphone to him).
Hewitt has some more tips to help you hear everyone, not just those three people in the front row. Here are a few:
- If someone needs you to repeat something, especially if they need to ask twice, change the wording.
- Minimize the overlap of words and music at the same time (for example, a sermon delivered with piano music as the background). “Hearing aids switch to music mode,” says one hearing-impaired person, “and you can just as well have a conversation with a pillow on your face.”
- If possible, ask someone to bring a second microphone to the speakers; please be patient to wait for the microphone.
She also notes that hearing loops , which are passed directly to hearing aids, are “very helpful” for people with disabilities; ask if it is installed in your establishment. And if you’re in the front row with sensitive ears, do everyone else a favor. When the speaker asks if they are loud enough without a microphone, stand up and shout loudly:
Use the damn microphone .