Why you should focus on sharpening your presentation skills

Cover image: TED

Whether you’re looking to influence people, crack a business deal, or win a promotion, good presentation skills are essential.

Being able to give a good presentation is one of the best skills to get you ahead. Whether you’re presenting your ideas to a prospect or pitching a new app in the boardroom, strong presentation skills are a must for both sales reps and developers (and all function titles in between)! Top-notch skills can help you capture your audience, boost your role within a team and impress everyone from your clients to your own manager. We’ll show you why it’s essential to focus on sharpening your presentation skills if you want to succeed in today’s business climate.

In a job interview

You might think of a job interview as being just that – an interview. But interviews are actually presentations. From the moment you introduce yourself, you are presenting who you are and what it is you do. You’re showing the interviewer (or hiring manager in this case) everything from your skills to your knowledge, experiences, preferred behaviour and your personality. The interview process is like a grand presentation that lets the interviewer see whether you’d be a good fit for the company.

When you sharpen your presentation skills, you’ll boost your effectiveness at being able to express your talents, strengths, ideas, and passions. Whether you’re doing an online or face-to-face interview, the most important skill is being able to present yourself effectively. That’s why presentation skills are valuable for people at all stages of their careers, no matter if they are looking to get hired for their first role, are moving between jobs or are looking to land a promotion at work.

In your career

Developing strong presentation skills will stand you in good stead throughout your career as well, no matter which field you are in. Career growth necessitates presenting your ideas to others effectively. Being able to explain your product or service to potential or existing clients is your ticket to the next rung on the corporate ladder. And even if you’re not in sales, one day you’ll probably  find yourself introducing a new agenda, offering a solution to a problem, announcing a plan of action, etc. If you know how to present effectively, you’ll command the attention of senior members of your organisation, helping you gain influence and ultimately landing that promotion you’ve been working so hard for.

Focusing on developing strong presentation skills is an investment that you’ll rely on repeatedly throughout your career. Whether during meetings, network events, or panel discussions, you’ll be able to capitalize upon your abilities to convince people of the quality of your ideas (as long as those ideas aren’t really bad to begin with).

In leadership

As a leader, great presentation skills mean that you can communicate effectively with your team and are able to help them understand what’s expected of them. Every great leader has excellent presentation skills, no matter their industry. Strong leaders are able to present their ideas in front of everyone and anyone, from staff members to investors and outsiders. Their presentation skills help them guide their organization in the right direction and make an impact when it counts.

But to excel in leadership, you can’t just master presentation skills as a formality. You need to hone both technical and non-technical skills that make your presentations effective and meaningful for those around you. It’s not enough to simply memorize the facts and rehash information; you must be able to inspire confidence and offer guidance.

Conclusion

Not convinced you need to start working on sharpening your presentation skills? Strong presentation skills are one of the key skills that separate those who succeed from those who struggle in business. That’s why we integrated “The art of presenting” into our Start Smart training program. Want to learn more about how this program can accelerate your career? Or which other trainings we might have in store for you? Have a look at our website or get in touch with us. We’re looking forward to meeting you!