Ask most people if they think presentation skills are important, and they’ll all nod their heads in agreement. Then ask those same people “Why?” and…crickets.
That’s because we rarely think much about the act of presenting itself. But one thing’s for certain: We can all tell the difference between a run-of-the-mill presentation and a great one—the kind that’s effective and thought-provoking. Delivering a succinct presentation is one thing. But doing it in a persuasive way that tells a meaningful story?
That’s everything. It’s the difference between a work meeting where you’re struggling to keep your eyes open and a TED talk that inspires millions.
Presenting To an Audience of One—or One Thousand
Since launching Career Contessa, I’ve had lots of opportunities to present in front of an audience. Sometimes I’m on a panel answering questions from an audience. Sometimes I’m hosting a live webinar online. Or sometimes I’m presenting a workshop in front of a huge group of strangers to share about my book, Power Moves.
When you’re building your own startup, presentations are a fact of life. But what many people don’t realize is that presentation skills are essential everywhere. In fact, you’re probably presenting dozens of times a day without realizing it.
Before Career Contessa, when I worked at Hulu as a recruiter, I had to present to my team, my boss, and other departments constantly. Once, I even had to present in front of the whole company during a “lunch and learn.”
Having good presentation skills is critically important regardless of whether you work for an organization or run your own because you use them all the time. Your presentation skills might also be a tipping point for whether you get the job, a promotion, or a cool project at work. It might even be the moment that cements you in someone’s memory so that they think of you the next time there’s a huge career opportunity.
Do you think Stacey Abrams got where she is without standing up in front of a few people? Try hundreds—or thousands. And do you think people who get raises regularly just send a timid email? Nope. They perfected their asks, walked in like they owned the place, and left their mark.
If you’re not already convinced, here are five other times when presentation skills are critically important to your success—plus tips for how to improve in each area.
1. Presentation skills are important to personal success
In most organizations, day-to-day business entails teamwork. That means presenting to your team—or on behalf of your team—and influencing others in your favor. It means being able to articulate what you need, so you get what you need.
Career growth stems from regularly presenting your ideas but also convincing whoever’s listening that they should take you seriously. The more they listen to you, the more they look to you, the more you grow. If you want to fast track your career, volunteer to work on projects, and deliver more presentations.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure how to get started, consider trying some formal presentation training.
2. Presentation skills are important to business success
No matter how great your product or service is, unless you can clearly communicate the value of it, no one will buy what you’re selling.
Business leaders have a similar challenge except they are looking for “buy-in” from employees, investors, partners, and sometimes, the public. Their success depends on whether they can present ideas, goals, feedback, etc. with confidence and clarity.
Pro tip: Practice, practice, practice your presentation by yourself, in front of a small “test” audience, and, if you can, in the room you’ll be presenting in. When you’re practicing, remember to smile, maintain a high volume in your voice, learn how to accept pauses without talking too fast, and make eye contact with the audience.
By creating effective presentations and becoming a better presenter, I’ve also naturally become a better communicator.
3. Presentation skills are important for professional branding
Personal brand, professional brand, hallway reputation. No matter what you call it, it matters to your success that you have a positive professional reputation. And while better presentations don't guarantee your success, they do give you a better fighting chance. Almost everything you want to accomplish will require “winning” someone over. Why not gain a powerful edge in your favor?
Pro tip: Showing off your presentation skills is a perfect way to increase your public image, so make sure you’re volunteering to lead meetings, deliver presentations to your boss and team, etc. Once you’re selected for these projects, give yourself plenty of time to prepare, create/design dynamic slides, and become an expert on the topic or information you’re presenting.
4. Presentation skills are important to stress reduction
I know you’re expecting me to say that becoming a good presenter means you’ll feel less stressed about public speaking over time, but (surprise!) I’m not. Even after all the speeches and presentations I’ve given, I still get butterflies. But that’s OK—preparing a good presentation that clearly communicates my message helps offset that stress as well as the stress of my team.
The hardest part of running a small team is maintaining effective communication and reducing any miscommunication in the process. To help with this, I started creating quarterly CC Organizational Days where I present to my team updates on our progress, areas of focus for the upcoming quarter, etc. By creating effective presentations and becoming a better presenter, I’ve also naturally become a better communicator.
Pro tip: Schedule out weekly, monthly, or quarterly times to present to your team. Take the time to prepare a presentation that’s easy to understand. For example, I like to use visuals like graphs and photos. This will enable you to reduce miscommunications and colleagues becoming unclear about what’s expected of them. You’ll also gain a reputation for being a great communicator and a powerful leader. Win-win!
5. Presentation skills are important to leadership
My first day working at Hulu coincidently fell on an All-Hands meeting day. These were meetings where the CEO gave updates on the company, our growth, and future plans or goals. We always had these meetings off-site and on that day, it was in a rented movie theater (clearly, it was a pretty cool first day).
After the CEO got up on stage and presented, I remember feeling more engaged with the company than ever. That came as a bit of surprise, given the fact that I was certain it was impossible to feel more excited than I did that morning, walking into my dream job for the first time. This is what great leaders do. They use their presentation skills to tell the story of the company and get employees really engaged, inspired, and committed.
Pro tip: If you’re already a leader or aspire to lead a team in the future, then it’s a great time to think about where and how you can get formal presentation training. And if you want to start your leadership "career" off on the right foot—and with a plan—we have an online course that can help.
