The Interactive Image (Part 2 - The Audience's Image)
“You can learn a lot from people who view the world differently from you.”
Persuading In a previous blog, we discussed the presenter's image as an interactive image. Now we will move onto the second method.
Audience's Image - Audience's Meaning
In this second method of the interactive image, the Persuasive Presenter allows the audience to select their own images for their own reasons. A simple way to do this is to hand each person a magazine or a wad of postcards and scissors, or CSS Cards© (as explained in a later blog). Give them a topic, such as, “what do you believe are some of the characteristics of a good leader?” Ask them to go through the magazine and to find images that they believe represent the characteristics. Get them to cut the images out and place them on the table. When they finish, have them talk about their choices.
This method suits a workshop format because it will produce plenty of interaction between the presenter and the audience and among the audience. Like the first method of the interactive image, this second method is useful for preparing an audience to receive information.
When Persuading for Results, this method is particularly valuable when the presenter is raising issues and ideas that everybody is likely to have a strong opinion on, or when there is not necessarily a ‘right’ answer. It helps an audience to realise there are many different answers and gives them a richer understanding of the issue. Most importantly, it connects them directly to the issue with a meaning that is relevant to them.
The Persuasive Presenter recognises that most of what the audience needs to know, they already know – they just do not always recognise or apply this knowledge. This approach provides the audience members with an opportunity to reflect on their own thoughts about a subject, and to compare these with the ideas of others.
It also primes people to want to hear what you have to say about the subject. After selecting images for their own reasons and articulating their choices, individuals want to assess their thinking against your expert opinion. You will need to be thoroughly prepared because each member of your audience is now looking for evidence that they have the ‘most correct’ understanding. In addition, audience members may be emotionally attached to their choices.