Presentation Skills: How to Open Up

This week, late night host Jimmy Kimmel made a serious argument for healthcare funding during his show Jimmy Kimmel Live! The comedian did not hold his emotions back during his opening monologue, as he shared a story about the birth of his son. Watch the trending video and try not to get teared up.

Breaking from his usual stand-up routine, Kimmel immediately got choked up when he brought up the birth of his son Billy last week. As a viewer, I had a surprising emotional reaction to seeing the funny man get so vulnerable in front of the camera. Of course, his monologue was filled with small jokes that perfectly broke up the tension. But this change in character for Kimmel is what makes this moment so memorable, and his message durable.

Presentation Skills: How to Open Up

This is a great example of how to make a serious plea when your format doesn’t necessarily match that tone. This is such an honest moment for Kimmel, and that vulnerability makes his speech poignant and impactful. As a presenter, if you ever feel that your message is out of place for your audience, remember Kimmel’s moment. In Kimmel’s normal routine, politics play a role in his humor. In this particular episode, he went for a political statement that came from the heart.

“If your baby is going to die and it doesn’t have to, it shouldn’t matter how much money you make. I think that’s something that whether you’re a Republican or Democrat or something else, we all agree on that right? … No parent should ever have to decide if they can afford to save their child’s life. It just shouldn’t happen, not here.”

Kimmel’s display of emotion is something out of the ordinary for casual television viewers like me and you. But it works effectively for his call to action: to continue funding healthcare in our country. And he scores high in the Exploration quadrant by providing some stats on the state of healthcare in the country before the Affordable Care Act became law. With verifiable information like that, it’s easy to take Kimmel’s side on this issue.

In your presentation, you don’t have to break down in tears to get your point across. Just telling a personal and relatable story like Kimmel did can help increase the durability of your message. And you can surprise your audience by shaking the format of your normal setup, and adding an emotional touch to your call to action.

More from the Ethos3 Blog:

Practice Vulnerability in Presentations

Engage Your Presentation Audience Through Emotional Triggers

How To Make Your Presentation Message the Test of Time

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