I have often written about the importance of connecting with your audience and building trust and rapport. This is because when you present and speak and train you are really educating people with your information and knowledge. And people more readily learn from people they know like and trust. I love the Harvard Business Review quote that goes something like this “As a speaker you should focus on connection, not perfection”.
A recent Ted video with Rita Pierson, a life long educator of children, emphasises the importance of building connections and relationships with those you are speaking to. In Rita’s case it is her school children.