I watch at least one presentation or speech every day of my working life, either live or on video. When it is a recording, i simply switch it off if the speaker is not a good presenter. He or she is just wasting my time. And I am not alone.
The art of public speaking - Part 4
About DJC
The older I get, the less I know and the more inquisitive I get.
Unfortunately, despite a lifelong search, most of the answers elude me. That said, I love to ask the questions and fuel the debates that will ultimately lead us all to a better understanding of the big issues in life, the universe and everything.
They say that we spend 98% of our lives in our head. I for one would like to use that time as effectively as possible.
A staggering 70 percent of business people believe that presentation skills are critical to career success, according to a US survey. A similar study in Australia found that 80 percent of executives viewed presentation or public speaking skills as important to career success.
Read more: The art of public speaking - Part 3
Presentation skills are central to:
Failing to inspire can lead to a loss of respect, and the team simply not sharing the vision or doing what is needed. Failure to captivate clients can make it hard to convert prospects and make sales.
Excellent presentation skills on the other hand, build confidence and enable the speaker to communicate a passion that is infectious. It also facilitates education.
I have observed that rather than great business skills, highly successful business people tend to have excellent presentation skills. Think Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. The same is true of politicians, with the ones we remember being great presenters rather than great law makers. Think Churchill and Kennedy.
Research has also found that 80 percent of business people are nervous about public speaking and the vast majority do not like presenting. As a result, many are simply not good at it.
There is a lot of talk these days about ‘start ups’ and their need to raise capital. Most of the presentations i have seen by the owners of these start-ups have inspired no confidence at all, which is a real concern when investors are more inclined to support a person than an idea.
Get over your fear and just do it. Develop the presentation skills you need and keep on developing them.
Source of core statistics – CARMINE GALLO – FORBES 2014
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