Expertise, Empathy and Energy are the 3 E’s that enable you to present magnificently on any stage or platform.
Expertise, your mastery in chosen domain establishes credibility and respect.
Empathy draws people in (relates to connect and trust).
Energy is required for engaging and entertaining the audience.
1. Expertise
Presenting and persuasion goes hand in hand. The first aspect of persuasion is your credibility. Credibility is essentially a function of your expertise and proficiency in your domain. It also includes your character, competencies, and your believability when you present. Establishing your credibility with your audience at the start of the presentation increases the likelihood that listeners will accept your opinions and take action on your recommendations.
2. Empathy
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!”
-Theodore Roosevelt
The second important aspect is empathy. This is creating an emotional appeal for an argument or message. It is only when you connect emotionally and move people at a fundamental level that you can inspire them to change their thinking and take a particular action.
This is all about genuine concern for, and sensitivity to, their needs, developing an understanding where they’re coming from.
Empathy allows a presenter to be aware when the audience is “getting it” and when they are not. The empathetic presenter can make adjustments based on his or her reading of a particular audience.
Put yourself in the shoes of your participants.
- Will they understand your perspectives?
- Will they see the logical progression that must come together to achieve your desired outcome?
- Will they enjoy the delivery as much as the content?
3. Energy
Energy refers to the enthusiasm, the passion with which you put your message across. Energy is the function of using your entire being to deliver a powerful message.
When you’re communicating virtually without the benefit of face-to-face connect and visual cues, it becomes even more important to amplify your energy.
You’ll find that you need to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment beyond what may be comfortable or natural for you. After all, if you don’t seem enthusiastic about the topic, you can’t expect your audience to be. And if you don’t sound confident, your audience won’t perceive you as credible.
If you sound nervous or awkward or disengaged what are you expecting them to feel? Make an extra effort to speak with enthusiasm. Keep your voice level up, don’t trail off at the end of your sentences.
All three elements—expertise, empathy, and energy, must be woven together if you want to move people and persuade them to your point of view. By doing so, you create a robust foundation for trust and success.
This represents a major Paradigm Shift. Most people, in making online presentations, go straight to the content, the left-brain logic, of their ideas. They try to convince other people of the validity of that logic without first establishing their credibility and creating a connection with your audience.
As a participant, you are always looking for the right combination of warmth and authority in your presenter. Someone who comes across as friendly and relatable but also clearly knowledgeable and trustworthy, has the power to influence you.
It’s a delicate balance that’s not always easy to pull off especially when it comes to serious or weighty subject matter. If you try projecting warmth while talking about the effects of deadly carcinogens or the benefits of making long-term investments, you will understand what I am talking about
