The Opera of Authenticity

The Opera of Authenticity is about commitment. It means you must throw everything about yourself out there, but in a very purposeful and designed way. Mastering authenticity in presentations is an art form that requires learning how to bring out the best of all your parts - content, personality, audience responsiveness, use of audio-visual supports, everything.

The Opera of Authenticity is about emotion. The metaphor of the opera is so pure here because it is a richly genuine example of what Seth Godin is talking about when he says, "communication is the transfer of emotion." And that is what the art form of opera and authentic presentations have most in common - they are both emotionally rousing and convincing. They move us.




Finally, the Opera of Authenticity is about "specialized passion." Opera audience members are just as passionate about the experience as the actors and singers.

"People's reactions to opera the first time they see it is very dramatic. They either love it or they hate it. If they love it, they will always love it. If they don't, they may learn to appreciate it, but it will never become part of their soul."
Richard Gere in Pretty Woman

Achieving Authenticity...

1. What are you not doing/saying/showing in your presentations that could help your audience be as passionate about the experience as you are?


2. Everything about you, your content, your AV, etc. either adds or detracts from you connecting with your audience. What needs to stay and what needs to go?


3. Think about your next presentation. Your audience is expecting to be moved in some way. Do you know in what way? How are you planning on moving them?


4. What is someone's reaction to the first 30-seconds of your presentation?


5. Does everything you say and do and everything your audience hears and sees have a clearly defined purpose?