From the course: Own Your Voice: Improve Presentations and Executive Presence

Make it a story

From the course: Own Your Voice: Improve Presentations and Executive Presence

Start my 1-month free trial Buy for my team

Make it a story

“

- In this chapter, we're going to learn techniques to help you be successful in formally presenting or public speaking in front of an audience. Much research shows that good stories hold our attention, especially when they evoke an emotional response, and emotional responses are often connected to visual imagery. Think about your presentation in terms of a story. Stories are important for several reasons. Research shows that people retain more when they are made to feel a certain way. Think about this course, for example. You may not remember verbatim what I've said, but you may remember my way, how I made you feel. Stories are also a great way to evoke emotional response, which releases something called oxytocin, a trust molecule, and we know that oxytocin is released when we use visual imagery to share our story. So go through your presentation. How can you make it a story and connect it to how you want your audience to feel? Reflect upon the last person you saw speak persuasively and effectively. Why did you enjoy being in their audience?

Contents