Connect with your audience

Workers cross London Bridge, with Tower Bridge seen behind, during the morning rush hour in London September 30, 2011.

BOSTON (Reuters) - Sharing a little something of yourself in the form of personal stories can help even a fledgling public speaker connect better with the audience, says Harvard Business Review.

The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org (www.hbr.org). Any opinions expressed are not endorsed by Reuters.

"Great speakers help listeners understand, relate to, and remember a message by telling stories and using analogies. Narratives make messages more engaging and help listeners connect with a speaker.

Even if you're not a born storyteller, you can share personal stories that help illustrate your message and why it's important.

By comparing your central point to a familiar image or experience you can immediately connect with your audience, conveying an entire experience in a few words."

- Today's management tip was adapted from "Learning Charisma" by John Antonakis, Marika Fenley, and Sue Liechti.

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