I think I’m engaging, but why doesn’t my audience seem engaged?

As a presenter, I have my favorite techniques and strategies to engage my audience. Ironically, the more I attempt to engage an audience with some of these techniques and strategies, the less I’m actually able to engage them. As I’ve reflected on this over the past several years, the issue seems to be related to people’s preferred learning styles.

You may be familiar with the three basic learning styles: auditory, visual, kinesthetic.

I’ve found that the techniques that I favor are generally presentation strategies that appeal to my own preferred learning style. I’m a visual learner, and when I present I spend a lot of time working on visual aids which I think are clever and engaging. And of course they are clever. But those in my audience who may prefer to process information through things they hear or say (auditory learners) and those who prefer to roll up their sleeves and experience the learning by doing something (kinesthetic learners) may feel a bit neglected.

If you’d like to learn more about the three basic learning styles or if you need help coming up with some activities to engage all of your learners during your next presentation, here is a link to a short elearning module I spent some time developing this weekend.  Here’s a sneak preview:

Learning Styles (Auditory)

Learning Styles (Visual)

If you have any feedback on this elearning module or if you think it can be improved, drop me a line in the comments section.

If you know someone who might find this program helpful as they gear up for their next presentation, pass this post along to them.

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