Many people dislike or fear having to make a presentation.
I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve heard business people share that making a presentation is an uncomfortable, unnatural act. One that they either try to avoid or merely survive.
Many people downplay the need to be able to present.
That’s a mistake. Because the truth is presenting is an unparalleled career enhancement opportunity – one of the best you’ll ever get. For those few moments, you, your ideas, and your credibility are center stage.
Great presenters are often the “rock stars” of their organizations.
Those who find the courage and do the work required to master the art of presenting are often perceived as the “rock stars” in their organization. Their careers – and their self-confidence – get the kind of boost that some people spend a professional lifetime trying to find.
A good friend, a well-known Fortune 50 senior executive, shared with me recently that “almost no one makes it to an executive position in my company without being a very good presenter.” Take a look at the leaders in your own organization – I bet you’ll find the same to be true.
Becoming a first-rate presenter takes conscious commitment.
But once you start doing the work, your efforts can have immediate impact. The ramifications go beyond just being able to deliver highly effective business presentations.
When a person builds powerful presentation skills, they transform.
They have a new, infectious self-confidence and inner strength that follows them everywhere they go and in everything they do. They’re perceived differently by the people with whom they work, adding incalculable benefit to their careers and personal lives.
Back to the question at hand: Do presentation skills matter?
Making the decision to hone your presentation skills may just be one of the smartest choices you make in your professional development.
Ready to take your career to new heights? Take a look at Mandel’s Public Workshop: Think & Speak for Results. This is Mandel’s flagship learn-by-doing training program where, through intensive practice and hands-on feedback from expert coaches, you’ll learn to create and deliver presentations with confidence, credibility, and ease.
