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Don’t Kill ‘em…Thrill ‘em: Use Emotion to Connect with your Audience

July 10, 2017Lori Rohrbach

The presentation was on the subject of hypnosis, and the audience was expecting to learn how it worked, and what it could tell us about how our minds work. We expected a fascinating session, where we might even get hypnotized ourselves.

Instead, a large part of the presentation was delivered via PowerPoint, full of long-deceased names and centuries-old dates. The fascinating nuggets, which most people could have easily connected with, such as how surgeries have been performed using hypnosis as the only anesthesia, were buried in the details.

Whether it’s a presentation, article, speech or interview, many subject matter experts often feel the need to prove their credibility by offering a lot of facts. It’s understandable, because what could be more interesting than talking about YOUR favorite topic?

But instead of thinking about what you want to say, consider your audience. The goal should be to engage your audience by sharing information they can immediately understand and connect with. Facts are great to support your point, but when you really want to convince someone to believe something or to act on it, you want the audience to make an emotional connection with your topic.

Fundraisers are great at this: When a charity asks for contributions, they’re not unloading all the specifics about where the money goes. Instead they put a face on the story – the suffering person who needs your help. Details are left for the annual report.

When communicating with employees, potential customers and other stakeholders, consider the emotional appeal of storytelling. As you prepare your next presentation or article for the company newsletter, here are three questions to help guide you:

1) What would I tell my neighbor about this topic?

Your neighbor isn’t as steeped in your topic as you are. No one is, including many of the employees in your company. Keep the information simple, focus on the big picture and figure out what emotional connection your audience has – the “why should I care” aspect – and then tailor your message.

2) Identify your audience and understand what they probably want to know.

If they’re potential customers, they probably want to know if your product or service will make them feel happy by saving them money or improving their business or their lives. Period. If they want to know more about how the technology or process works, or the material and size specifications, they will ask. If they’re your employees, they’ll want to know why they should do something differently, and how that will ultimately benefit them, or their careers. Save the installation and implementation details for later.

3) If your local news was covering your presentation, what would the story be?

Local media love emotional stories, simple plot lines like winners vs. losers, or local people make good. Create memorable soundbites for your key messages. For example, think about the impact of a new human resources process for employees.  A good message might be: “Our new way of hiring will make it easier to find the right people for a job, so we can grow our business – and grow your careers – faster.” The takeaway: We’re doing this because it will make our lives better, easier and happier in the long run.

The bottom line: if we want people to listen to our facts, and if we want them to understand and do  what we are asking of them, we must tell a credible story to which they can easily – and emotionally – connect.

Author: Kristina Schurr

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Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

 

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

 

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources.  Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

 

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

 

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

 

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

 

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

 

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

 

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

 

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

 

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

 

 

Author: Erin Alderfer

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