I once watched a presenter attempt to give a salient argument about the
dangers of texting and driving. The intended message was to persuade us
to practice safe driving and to pass this important message on to others.
However, the speaker referenced a local story read out of a newspaper as
the focal point of the message. As sad a story as it was when she related the
fact that someone had died, the speech felt like it was missing something:
the personal touch. I kept asking myself, “How was the speaker connected
to the message? Did they have a friend or a family member affected?” I
needed to know what made her so passionate about the message.
Not every story needs to be a tear-jerker. In fact, I am glad that the
speaker was not directly impacted by this example. However, the audience
is left guessing when a message does not have the personal appeal
that makes it our own. The stories that make up your life will have
the greatest impact on any audience because they are unique and new.
They will tend to connect genuinely to the hearts and minds of the
audience because these stories sincerely come from your heart and
mind, with stirring personal emotion, not just emphasized words.
Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):
- Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
- Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
- Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
- The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
- From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
- The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood
See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com