We teach two core skills in our Next Level Academy – THINKING and COMMUNICATION. In our communication curriculum we focus on two key areas – Interpersonal, 1 on 1 communication and Presentation Skills (also part of our Once Upon a Time Project storytelling platform).
Why are these two skills so important? Think about it, you are either talking or writing an email to one person, thus it is interpersonal or you are talking or writing to more than one person and it becomes a presentation. They are very DIFFERENT skill sets.
Let’s talk about your presentation skills. Interpersonal communication skill sets are very challenging because they involve so many elements, each flexible, filled with subtle variances and nuances. But presentation skills are much more simple and thus easier to learn. We believe that anyone can become a good presenter. Some can learn to be great, but almost anyone can learn to be good.
You have all been to horrible presentations, classes and lectures where a root canal would be a better choice than sitting through another minute of the drone of a poor presenter. How important are those skills? Well, just a couple of days ago you saw what the lack of these skills can do to an organization as Roger Goodell held one of the worst press conferences in recent memory and continued to harm the credibility of one of the most successful organizations on the planet – The NFL.
Again we see a CEO reading a lawyer created statement attempting to sound sincere about the mistakes that had been made. Shielded behind a podium, in a black suit, Goodell sounded stiff and insincere. Clearly some mistakes on the part of the NFL were made and what everyone wanted was specific steps and a truly contrite explanation.
How about using your presentation skills, structured around your style to make a statement that will make a difference. Get rid of the podium and sit on a stool. Have a conversation with the audience. Know your presentation so that you don’t need to read it. Be honest and informative. These are at the heart of great presentation skills. Sure, it is risk filled, but the benefit from creating a connection between your topic, how ever difficult it might be, and the audience can change everything.
Presentation skills can be learned and are worthy of your professional development. Become someone that can change the flow of ideas through commanding the way you present them to your audience.
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