Diane GardnerFounder, Adept Business Solutions · Profit First Professional

Mike Michalowicz Speaking at PDS 3 1 2016

3 Mar 2016 · 0 min

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In this brief excerpt from a 2016 presentation, Mike Michalowicz explains how standing ovations at events are often engineered rather than spontaneous. He describes a wave-like effect where one person standing prompts others to follow, creating a collective rise. The initial trigger is frequently a hired actor—referred to as a “salt”—who is placed in the audience and paid (about five dollars) to start the ovation. Michalowicz frames this as a hidden, orchestrated progress that participants join without realizing the origin.

Oh, I guess I should be standing too. It's a hidden progress. I should— I stand up, they stand up, more people stand up, and all of a sudden everyone's standing up. It breaks out like a wave. Chances are you didn't start it, but you joined the wave. Now, do you know those people that give the standing ovation are called salts? They're actually hired actors. We're talking about the bottom of the acting pit. Uh, we're gonna put you in the audience, give the standing ovation. Here's 5 bucks.