In any given audience, half of the room will be introverted while the other half will be extroverted. If you’re not familiar with the difference between and an introvert and an extrovert, think of it this way:
Imagine every person has a battery in the middle of their chest. When an introvert spends time in a large group setting or interacting with other people, that battery depletes. Then, if that same person spends time alone, their battery recharges. The opposite is true of an extrovert – if they spend time alone their battery depletes, and it’s recharged when they spend time with other people or in social settings.
Understanding that you audience is primarily split 50/50 with these personality types means you must be strategic as a presenter. If you don’t address each of them uniquely, you will wind up inadvertently leaving half of your audience exhausted.
Here are a couple of things you need to keep in mind to reach your entire audience with as little emotional drainage as possible.
Avoid randomly calling on audience members.
An introvert’s worst nightmare is to be called out in a crowd. By randomly calling on an audience member to respond, you have a 50/50 shot of isolating an introvert and placing fear into the rest of the introverts in the room. Instead, consider asking for volunteers when interaction is needed to ensure you select a willing and excited participant.
Include interactive elements.
Interactive elements are a great opportunity for the extroverts in the room to get out of their head and re-energize with some connection with people. Be sure that these elements are controlled and programmed to ensure your timeline stays on track.
Build in breaks.
Long presentations are draining for both introverts and extroverts no matter how much effort you put in to the contrary. By building in breaks for any presentation that lasts over an hour, you allow your audience a chance to breathe and recharge however they see fit.
With the large scope of personalities found within an audience, it can be difficult to speak to everyone. However, by implementing these three tips, you will find your audience feeling refreshed and recharged as your presentation goes on. And when your audience is recharged, they are far more likely to retain what you’re sharing and be motivated to join in your cause.
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