Leadership: Captivating an Audience: A Guide on How to Keep an Audience Engaged

Captivating an audience is an essential skill all great leaders must possess. Much like a movie the audience must be willing to pay attention to you, and what you have to say. The goal is not to spew your message but to rather deliver it in a way that is interesting and engaging. (inc.com)

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The man who embodied the ability to capture the imagination of those around him was Steve Jobs. His ability to draw your attention to him and his message was unparalleled, his presentations were not your regular office meetings but rather an immersive experience in which you felt as an integral piece in building his vision of the future. (inc.com)

Here are a few ways in how he did so:

i) Starting off on a High Note: Jobs began his presentations by amazing his audience with his latest innovation or strategy in how he hoped to change the world. He would unveil new devices or announce exciting news right off the bat to grab his audience's attention and from there on out was able to keep them in a constant state of awe. (inc.com)

ii) Make your Point: Steve Jobs did not beat around the bush at all, he was able to clearly deliver his message and was able to do so in a way that made the audience feel as if they were taking a journey along with him. Though he would make his point early, it was only at the climax of his presentation in which he would reveal the true genius of his latest innovation. (inc.com)

iii) Interaction is Key: Jobs did not believe in giving long sermons in which half of the audience would lose interest in the first ten minutes. He began his presentations by captivating his audience early and then would take them along on a journey into his vision of the future and would make each member of his audience feel as if they were part of history, rather than an office meeting. (inc.com)