Emotion Rules

People remember what they felt when they listen to you. Your content will have a much deeper and lasting impact if you have an emotional intent when you speak.

Before you sit down to write your speech, ask yourself, "How do I want the audience to feel when they listen to me?"

If you are clear about this in your own mind, it will come through in your words and in your delivery. Make sure that your emotional intent is an active verb. For example, your goal should be to motivate, not “to be motivational.”

Here is a list of emotion verbs from the fabulous book Leadership Presence, by Belle Linda Halpern and Kathy Lubar. (Penguin Group, New York, NY 2004) (http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Presence-Kathy-Lubar)

Admonish

Alert

Amaze

Amuse

Appease

Assure

Attack

Beseech

Cajole

Calm

Challenge

Chide

Console

Dazzle

Defend

Disempower

Divert

Embrace

Enliven

Entice

Excite

Fight

Flatter

Forgive

Frustrate

Gloat

Heal

Humor

Hypnotize

Implore

Impress

Inspire

Intoxicate

Motivate

Placate

Plead

Promise

Reassure

Shake Up

Shame

Surprise

Tantalize

Tease

Threaten

Warm

Welcome

Win Over

Woo

From the Green Room: Make Them Feel It!