I Connected with My Audience and a Community - Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

I Connected with My Audience and a Community - Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

It is a good feeling to connect with your audience when giving a presentation; a tsunami that invades your mind when the audience is attentive, engaged, eager, and supportive. You can feel it. I did. I’m unsure why or how it happens, but I love it when it does. It was the scene last week when I presented to the Dante Society of Westerly, Rhode Island.

The Dante Society, in existence since 1975,  preserves, promotes, and fosters awareness of the Italian culture and rewards scholarships to students for excellence in the Italian language. I like that. They encourage involvement through various educational activities in the community. And their success is realized because they are connected to that community. I like that.

Because of the atmosphere, I may have been a bit more animated than usual. I'm not sure.

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I have presented my story of writing and growing up American with Italian roots with topics ranging from whatever happened to Sunday dinner, how to draft your story, why I write, the structure of a memoir, the first Italians in Rhode Island, etc. in all areas and venues throughout the country. I once presented on a river cruise of the Danube. I always feel that I have connected with the audience and imparted something for them to take home. Last week was as good as it can be. The feeling was more palpable than usual.

I spend quite a bit of time preparing for my presentations. It allows me to learn, understand what I want to convey, and develop more confidence by rehearsing. A positive audience response can validate my efforts; confirming that I am connecting with my message. A responsive audience brings energy and excitement, further motivating me.

With enthusiasm in the room, I am encouraged to hone my skills and improve my craft. Their appreciation boosts confidence and motivates me to set higher standards and strive for excellence. Furthermore, it creates lasting memories.

It incentivized me to tell more personal stories, like the one of a huge family fight years ago. We children knew little of it save to say that we were estranged from cousins. After the combatants passed away, we called a long-lost cousin to come to dinner, to rekindle family memories; good ones that is. At the end of the evening, she said, “You people aren’t that bad.” She had been brainwashed to think we were ogres.

Identifying similar stories, the audience laughed, and in that laugh, I detected a snicker. “So you’ve experienced the same?”

“Yes, Yes.” We connected, again. They shared my emotions with laughter, maybe even tears.

Oh, just one other note. Join an organization; one that is a good fit for you. You will reap the rewards of camaraderie, contribution, and a meaningful way to give back to your community. It will contribute to your state of mental well-being, belonging, purpose, and fulfillment.

Thanks for the invite, Danteans. I was part of your community, and I loved it.