Can’t seem to get ahead? If you’ve been saving presentation coaching for a later date…well, it’s a lot like the classic saying about making foolish decisions. Much like saving sex for old age. Warren Buffett, the canny investor, is credited with the original quote: “You can’t keep money around forever…it’s like saving sex for your old age.”
The same could be said for saving working with a presentation coach. Here’s why: if you wait too long, you will miss out. You’ll miss all the chances new skills would bring you. You will miss out on promotions, business deals and new career options. The sad truth. You’ll get stuck in the sidelines. You won’t get noticed.
Like the other all-important act, presenting is just too fun to skip. If you push it off into a corner, you may not find opportunity again. It could be too late. In many professional settings a lot of people make this fatal mistake. The main losers are smart people who should be winners.
This includes scientists, researchers and subject matter experts with advanced degrees. They assert that all they need to get ahead is the credibility from a MBA, PhD or M.D. or other advanced degree. Many brilliant subject matter experts make this foolish mistake. They think that their data-stuffed presentations are hitting the mark. After all, they have anecdotal evidence to support this impression. Everyone tells them they have good presentation skills. That’s the polite feedback they get face-to-face.
Coworkers, clients and audiences listen attentively and nod with understanding. It appears to the subject matter expert as if everything is on track and working like a charm. But if you have ever thought that your data and degree are doing the trick, don’t kid yourself. After the presentation is over…after the projector is turned off, what are people saying in the truth serum halls of the local pub?
“Could you believe that guy?! I didn’t understand a word he said.”
“What the heck was that presentation about? I thought it was supposed to simplify things but I just got more confused.
“Isn’t there a presentation police? That guy deserves a ticket!”
Maybe people are polite enough (or scared enough) to not speak the truth. Not directly to your face. But if you were a fly on the wall listening after hours, you’d hear the truth. Haven’t you watched a presentation, taken notes, and even applauded…only to go on and say things like this to your buddies? My guess is you have!
By the way, this kind of incomplete feedback is likely to happen with your boss. He or she won’t tell you the candid truth. Your boss is too aware of the dangers of lawsuits to mention difficult aspects of presenting.
What are the things your boss might not be talking about?
Tough topics such as a shrill voice, poor posture, lack of confidence, and distracting gestures. They will not give you direct feedback because they don’t want to risk a discrimination case. There’s a very real danger here. Small body language habits and seemingly innocuous speech patterns will wreck your career. These habits and keep you locked in a dead-end position. That’s exactly why getting personalized coaching is not a ‘nice-to-have.’ It’s a must-have.
Do not wait. The smart way to get ahead is to learn new skills and get personal feedback. Sign up for a presentation skills course. Work with a professional advisor. Tackle presentation issues with experts who can help you succeed.
Discover how to give passionate presentations that boost your career. Get people to buy-in to your ideas, proposals and recommendations. For instant video access to learn how this works, visit: http://www.presentationstoryboarding.com