Stump the Chump |
| Credit: The Retail Doctor |
What does it mean?
• "Stump the chump" is a term for when one person challenges or questions another person in front of others to make them appear foolish. This divisive behavior can occur in a meeting, presentation, conference, or another type of forum.
• An example of stump-the-chump conduct is asking an expert presenter a question that they will not be able to answer, potentially undermining their credibility.
Understanding Stump the Chump
• Stump the chump is a dynamic whereby someone in an audience repeatedly questions the person who is doing the presenting, speaking, or leading at a meeting or other event.
• The questioning generally carries an aggressive tone, which often is disruptive to all present. Sometimes this behavior is a conscious psychological ploy-as used in the fields of politics, law, human resources, or entertainment; but often, it may come from a subconscious, destructive impulse within the aggressor.
What to Do if You Are the Chump Faced With a Stumper
• Stay positive and in control. Maintaining a friendly environment will help keep the rest of the audience on your side.
• Play the role of "helpful facilitator." Turn the questioning back on the disrupter by asking for clarity about their meaning.
• Let the challenger be the expert in the discussion; offer praise for their acumen.
• If you can not or choose not-to answer the stumper's questions, then remove the focus from yourself; invite the audience to answer instead.
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