The four ingredients that make a good presentation great
Every presentation has a purpose. (Or at least it should. Ahem.) And that purpose is to move or change the audience’s way of thinking about your topic… to persuade them to approve your idea or incite action. To do that requires the presenter to have clarity about their intended message and to present their content in a structured way that makes it easy for the audience to understand.
Having a clear narrative structure is foundational to giving a good presentation.
But to give a great presentation or talk—one that’s truly engaging, effective, and memorable—requires the use of an emotional structure layered in atop that narrative structure. The emotional structure is comprised of four elements:
Ethos
Ethos is the Greek word for custom or character. For presentation purposes, it’s essentially one’s credibility. Audiences won’t act on our message unless they trust us. Our official credentials (e.g. positions held, tenure, research expertise, personal experience, and reputation) supply ethos and can be detailed when we’re introduced and/or throughout the presentation itself. One can even employ quotes from other subject-matter experts, effectively borrowing their credibility or ethos.
Pathos
Pathos is the Greek word for emotion. Don’t worry: we’re not necessarily aiming for tears (though sadness and sympathy are certainly effective in the right context). Our audiences are human, which means they have emotions and great talks will cause them to feel something. Perhaps we want them to feel angered or indignant about the current state of affairs in order to inspire change. Emotions are incredibly useful tools for moving an audience toward a new way of thinking.
Logos
Logos is essentially the logic of one’s argument. What evidence can you offer to support your message? What data and statistics underlie your recommended course of action? Can you offer past success stories for your audience to consider? Supply evidence to bolster your argument. Doing so will cause them to agree or be forced construct an equally logical counter-argument. Anticipate their objections and be prepared to address them–perhaps with additional evidence.
Kairos
Aristotle would say that the preceding three elements comprise the rhetorical triangle. But there’s a fourth component that’s often overlooked: kairos. Kairos means time or opportunity. Why is your idea important today or why is action required now? If action isn’t required immediately, when will your idea be important? Be sure your audience knows when they need to respond.
Once you’ve laid out the narrative structure of your message, incorporate these four elements into the content to create the emotional structure (or arc). Even the most brief presentation will benefit from the additional effort. Your audience will be more likely to remember—and therefore act upon—your message.