Is your webinar a snooze-fest? Maybe you’re stuck with a boring subject: standard deviation of monsoon rainfall in East Jabib. Too bad you can’t use racy subjects like those on Game of Thrones — intrigue, mayhem, betrayal… ah, the good-old days. Lurid topics may be out of bounds, but it’s not all about topics; certain presentation techniques can spice things up. You’ll need know-how and a bit of practice. So let’s get started.
If you watch Game of Thrones (doesn’t everyone?) you may have noticed what a good job they do with something called pacing.
Here’s what I mean.
Let’s say a character is sharing a quiet, intimate moment with his wife or lady friend (or someone else’s wife or lady friend). It’s sweet and romantic, soft and sexy. Suddenly the scene changes, and the same character is in trouble. The mob is angry. Soon he’s on the chopping block with a sword over his head.
That’s pacing — the art of emotional zigzag.
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How can you create emotional contrast in your presentation? With your voice.
Communication expert Nancy Duarte identifies 7 emotions you can evoke with your tone of voice. Let’s relate each to a Game of Thrones character.
Emmy Award winner Peter Dinklage (Tyrion) is so good with his voice that you forget his diminutive stature. And you’ll find other examples all around, not just on Game of Thrones. If there’s a daughter in your life, she probably uses her voice masterfully to get her way.
Don’t wait for a live presentation to experiment with tone of voice; you’ll feel like an idiot! Instead, practice in private.
Analyze your presentation and figure out where a certain tone would work. To address a problem, for example, practice using the most sympathetic tone you can muster. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate; it’s only for practice.
Then find a contrasting section where a motivational tone would be appropriate: your call to action, for example. Get fired up and practice delivering it with zeal. Pound your fist on the desk. Glare at your imagined audience. Just for practice.
… and they’ll pay attention.
Carried to extremes, any tone of voice can be annoying. Joffrey, the boy king, constantly tries to be assertive and fails miserably, turning himself into an object of ridicule — Justin Beiber with a mean streak.
So let moderation be your guide. If you feel an assertive tone is called for, skip the kingly tone. Think of increasing your assertiveness by just five percent — a smidgen. If it works, try a little more. But don’t go too far; it can trigger audience resistance and lead to a rebellion in the kingdom.
So don’t lose your head :-O
If you’ve been zigging, switch to zagging.
Good presentations are a blend of information, persuasion, and entertainment. Your emotion-packed words will resonate better if you don’t take them too seriously.
So loosen up and have a little fun. After all, “winter is coming.”
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