BEGINNING
Paint a picture of the
realities of the audience’s
current world.
What could be
What isWhat is
Turning Point 1
CALL TO
ADVENTURE
Create an imbalance by
stating what could be
juxtaposed to what is.
The
gap
36 Resonate
The Contour of Communication
The Presentation Form
Drawing insights from mythological, literary, and cinematic
structures, a presentation form emerged. Most great presen-
tations unknowingly follow this form.
Presentations should have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Two clear turning points in a presentation’s structure guide
the audience through the content and distinctively separate
the beginning from the middle and the middle from the end.
The first is the call to adventure—this should show the audience
a gap between what is and what could be—jolting the audience
from complacency. When effectively constructed—an imbal-
ance is created—the audience will want your presentation to
resolve this imbalance. The second turning point is the call to
action, which identifies what the audience needs to do or how
they need to change. This second turning point signifies that
you’re coming to the presentation’s conclusion.
Notice how the middle moves up and down as if something new
is happening continually. This back and forth structural motion
pushes and pulls the audience to feel as if events are constantly
unfolding. An audience will stay engaged as you unwrap ideas
and perspectives frequently.
Each presentation concludes with a vivid description of the new
bliss that’s created when your audience adopts your proposed
idea. But notice that the presentation form doesn’t stop at the
end of the presentation. Presentations are meant to persuade,
so there is also a subsequent action (or crossing the threshold)
the audience is to do once they leave the presentation.
Let’s look at the form in more detail on the following pages.
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MIDDLE
Present contrasting content, alternating
between what is and what could be.
END
End the presentation
on a higher plane than
it began, with every-
one understanding the
reward in the future.
CROSS THE THRESHOLD
The audience leaves the
presentation committed to taking
action, knowing it won’t be easy
but will be worth the reward.
What could be
What is
What could be
What is
Turning Point 2
CALL TO
ACTION
Articulate the nish line
the audience is to cross.
Reward: new bliss
Lessons from Myths and Movies 37
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