Think back to the last time you listened to someone give a speech or presentation. It is almost a fact of life that, at some point, someone will start clapping at an inappropriate time.
The first and perhaps least offensive clap timing is right after the speaker makes an impactful point. This can either increase the impact with resounding applause or distract from the point and break the flow of the speech. Due to the possible upside, this option is the least distasteful.
My personal least favorite time to clap is when the presenter lists off people they want to commend, and the audience claps after every name.
Stop that — it is disruptive and awkward. Why is it awkward? Because you can’t stop three people in otherwise it’s offensive to the rest of the list.
Thus, you perpetuate a vicious cycle of inappropriate clapping.
As Uncle Ben once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
As kids we tasted the power of the mob mentality — that brief time in the spotlight when we were the ones to start the clap at the end, or in the middle of a speech.
This pervades the rest of our lives. When the opportunity arrives to start a clap, it is easy to act before thinking.
It may seem like a trivial deed, to clap at an inappropriate time, but it often diminshes the rest of the presentation.
Think of what the speaker is dealing with. They have been preparing for the next five to 20 minutes for days now — planning every pause, each phrase and the construction of the speech, only to have some, inconsiderate, person clap at the wrong time.
If the speaker is inexperienced, they might not adapt to the sudden smattering of applause. This could lead to them losing their train of thought or mumbling.
Think about what clapping should signify. It is an auditory representation of approval.
Much like compliments, when overused it becomes stale and means next to nothing.
Our society in particular, has developed a culture of affirmation, where the peer pressure to clap is overwhelming.
If one chooses to not clap because they feel it isn’t the right time, they are seen as rude and churlish. The founding fathers created this country with the right to refuse to clap in mind. Probably not, but you get my point.
The last point about clapping is context. Know the culture of the presentation you attend. For instance, it is not correct to clap halfway through a theatrical performance but it would be okay during a motivational speech.
Coming in blind, not knowing when to clap is disrespectful, not to mention embarrassing. Imagine being at a classical music concert, and the pianist finally finishes the first song in their two-piece set. Instead of being quiet and courteous like the other onlookers, they break out in tremendous applause, only to be rebuked into silence by the rest of the crowd. Granted, they had the best intentions, only wanting to express their appreciation of the masterful performance they just witnessed. Due to their lack of contextual knowledge, they embarrass themselves and disrupt the tone of the recital.
The best advice one can give is be timid. Never start the clap but instead, join when everyone else starts.
You prevent embarrassment and still express your approval of the artist’s work.
Remember to be mindful of where you are and not fall prey to idle clapping.
Don’t bow to peer pressure and perpetuate poor clapping. Rise above and give serious thought about when to put your hands together.
Griffen Winget can be reached at [email protected]
Patty Shay
Example. Jane Timken’s commercial announcer says he was “appalled” when being asked to “hold applause”. That made this campaign look self centered and haughty, to me.