An interested audience is an amazing thing

A lot of what I focus on when talking about ways to be successful speaking in public really boils down to finding a way to connect with the audience so that your message makes its way into their heads.

When you connect to the audience in a strong way, you can feel it. It is really quite extraordinary. An almost electric bond is formed between you and the audience, and you as the speaker begin to draw on that energy to feed your performance. That bond is one of the most addictive experiences I’ve ever had.

Once you have it, you’ll want to create it again and again. You’ll want to do this for yourself, but the audience is the true beneficiary, as they walk away feeling appreciative, connected, and in tune with your message.

It works for Powerpoint, tours, and everything in between

This type of connection to the audience is not limited to tours and more informal sessions.

Even (perhaps especially) in formal presentations where I am standing in front of a darkened room running PowerPoint slides, I am trying to get this connection going with my audience. It is a little different, since most PowerPoint audiences aren’t terribly interactive, but I have found that the lessons I learned giving tours move pretty easily to giving presentations.

Once you learn to read your audience’s reaction to what you are saying and know to look for the connection clues, you have all the tools you need to adjust and adapt your talk as you are speaking to connect with your audience.

But it’s not all cookies and cherry Coke

This is hard, tiresome work.

It can be exhausting to prepare and then connect in this way with so many people, and a series of tours for a big event at the center still means an early bedtime for me.

I still get butterflies before each and every single tour and talk, for every group of Senators and janitors and Cabinet Secretaries and high-school students. Even after doing it for over fifteen years.

What to do when it just doesn’t work

I certainly don’t want to leave you with the impression that every one of my talks and tours is like a circus spectacular. While it is true that I connect with my audiences more often than not, sometimes the magic just isn’t there.

Sometimes it’s my fault: an off day, too many tours, or lack of focus. Sometimes it’s the audience’s fault: they just aren’t interested in the subject. Sometimes it isn’t anyone’s fault: there’s construction in the room next door, and no one can pay attention. But although I am a connection addict, at times like this it’s important to remember that there are other purposes being served.

Keep trying to connect with your audiences, but when all else fails do the best you can with what you’ve got and move on.