Is coaching and mentoring for me?

Presentation skills are vital in business. And yet, public speaking is for many people their worst nightmare.

Being able to sell your idea to your colleagues or inspire your salesforce at the annual conference as well as making a polished presentation to the shareholders’ meeting are all essential skills the executive must master. We receive little training at school in making presentations which, in my opinion, should be a key component of the National Curriculum. I have coached many clients to become excellent presenters. The process is multifaceted and incorporates breathing skills and delivery coaching among other key skills. However, having very clear objectives of the desired outcome or take out from the presentation is vital. Also understanding the mindset and focus of the person or group you are presenting to is critical before putting content together. A presentation to a Board is totally different to a motivational speech to a conference.

PowerPoint is both an asset and a liability to presenters. Too often, PowerPoint becomes a crutch for the inability to make a strong verbal argument. Slides must support the verbal messages and not replace them. Audiences have short attention spans, and they shorten the higher up the organisation you go! Getting the point across persuasively is critical. Using rhetorical devices and considering objections in advance will help get the argument across.

I use role-play at the final stage to polish the delivery. Too few people actually practice their presentation properly in advance. The role play provides a platform for more sophisticated presentation skills which draw much from theatre.