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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Top 12 Leadership Competencies Explained: Get Ready to Lead

In his iconic book, Focus, Daniel Goleman, the world-renowned psychologist speaks of a leader as having three kinds of areas to master. These are the inner focus, the outer focus, and the other focus. Excellent leadership, according to Goleman, has to have a balance between these three domains. As an example, a leader without an inner focus is unlikely to see the outer world in the correct light.

Leadership, ultimately, boils down to earmarking/customizing the competencies needed in each of these focuses. There are, of course, common competencies in these that have stood the test of time. In this blog, we take you through the key leadership competencies that encompass the best of human traits.

What are leadership competencies?

Leadership competencies are the set of skills and behaviors that contribute to task efficiency and better performance in a group setting. Leadership, as a people management skill, is a combination of cognitive, interpersonal, business, and strategic components. It includes attributes, such as adaptability, values, task management, understanding, etc, that help leaders to be more effective in their roles. They strive to

Variation in the skill set describes and determines different leadership styles. However, there are certain non-negotiable leadership competencies that are indispensable for businesses. For example, good leaders are expected to always take the blame and share the credit for team achievement. An illustration of this is seen several times in the Tom Hanks' starrer Forrest Gump. If you too intend to make a positive difference, check these top 20 coaching and mentoring templates .

Even though there is no standard way to classify and define leadership competencies, from a business perspective, they are generally divided into five broad categories. These are:

• Managing Self: There's no denying that managing oneself is one of the most important leadership skills. After all, if you can't manage your own time, energy, and resources effectively, how can you expect to lead others effectively? It includes qualities such as honesty, resilience, integrity, problem solving, etc. While some people are adept at managing themselves, others struggle with it. Regardless, it is an essential leadership attribute.
• Managing projects: Project management is a critical leadership skill. The ability to plan, organize, and execute projects within deadline can mean the difference between success and failure. It includes qualities like team building, accountability, credibility, negotiation, etc. An effective project manager understands how to set goals, develop timelines, and allocate resources. They also know how to communicate with stakeholders, keep track of progress, and troubleshoot problems. To help you streamline these components and boost productivity, here are some popular PPT Templates .
• Managing people: One of the most important skills in any leader's toolkit is the ability to manage people in a way that maximizes their potential. After all, leadership is primarily about setting a direction and then mobilizing people to achieve common goals. But what does it take to be a good manager? There are many different styles of management, and the best approach depends on the specific situation. However, some basic traits that a good leader possesses include conflict management , appreciation of diversity, etc. And if you're wondering about ways to motivate and inspire your peers, here's an informative guide you shouldn't miss!
• Managing programs: In today's business world, the ability to manage programs is essential for success. A program manager is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the elements of a program, including its budget, schedule, and scope. Important attributes in this category are technology management, creativity, innovation, financial acumen, etc.
• Leading organizations: Great leaders inspire others to achieve more than they thought possible. They are visionaries who always see the good in people and organizations (a la Pollyanna), and they work tirelessly to make things better. For this, they require qualities such as external awareness, foresightedness, strategic thinking, etc. This helps them leave an everlasting impression by making their way to leaderboard .

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Knowing and practicing leadership qualities are two very different things yet deeply intertwined elements. The right balance between the two will help a person become a successful leader. This assessment PPT Sample can be used at both, individual and organizational level. The given design contains the leadership capability spectrum that provides a detailed analysis of the skills and attributes, thereby helping in making an informed decision. Companies are using this to find the right candidate or potential leader. Download now!

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Successful leadership is more than the sum of individual competencies. Deploy this customizable PPT Design to illustrate the process of attributes working together to ensure competent leadership. It highlights the value of each quality being interconnected to the other to facilitate effective and desired functioning.

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Internalizing leadership qualities is not easy! It takes plenty of effort and will. This professionally designed sample will help you in having a clear idea of how to proceed with the process. You can get an overview for yourself and for your audience so they can understand what is expected from them and how to achieve it. It will facilitate better understanding and coordination in efforts, thereby providing desired outcome and success. Download now!

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Being a leader is not as easy as it seems. It requires effort, dedication, and the ability to handle the responsibility. Moreover, leadership is the culmination of identified and unidentified factors. Of course, there is no single formula for success when it comes to leadership. Different leaders have different styles and methods. But the qualities mentioned in this guide can be a good starting point for anyone who wants to develop their leadership skills. If you're looking to make a difference in the world, start by developing your own leadership skills. It may just be the best decision you ever make.

Leadership Competencies FAQs

What are core leadership skills?

There are many skills that are essential for effective leadership, but some are more important than others. One of the most essential skills is the ability to develop a clear vision and then communicate that vision to others. A leader must be able to articulate what they want to achieve and inspire others to work towards that goal. Another crucial skill is the ability to build relationships and bring people together. A leader must be self-aware, courageous, confident, and influential. These are just a few of the core leadership skills that are necessary for success.

What is a leadership competency model?

A leadership competency model is a framework that outlines the specific skills and attributes that are necessary for effective leadership. While there are many different competency models in existence, they all share a common goal: to identify the key characteristics that distinguish successful leaders from those who are less effective. The specific competencies included in a given model will vary depending on the organization or context, but the most common attributes are communication, problem-solving, decision-making, emotional intelligence, and team-building. By clearly defining what is required for success, a competency model can serve as an invaluable tool for both individuals and organizations alike.

Why is competence important to leadership?

A leader is someone who is able to guide and motivate others towards a common goal. Competence implies a certain level of skill and knowledge. Competence enables a leader to motivate, inspire and solve problems. It helps them to showcase an exemplary behavior that sets a mark for others to follow. The ability to be competent facilities the will for life-long learning and innovation, thereby promoting growth. Eventually, competence sets the foundation for strong leadership.

How do you develop leadership competencies?

Many people view leadership as a quality that some people are born with, while others are not. However, there is increasing evidence that leadership is a skill that can be developed through training and experience. There are many different ways to develop leadership competencies, but some common approaches include corporate mentoring , coaching, and structured learning experiences. Formal leadership development programs often include a mix of classroom instruction and experiential learning, such as simulations and role-playing exercises. In addition, many organizations provide opportunities for employees to take on leadership roles in special projects or committees. With relevant experiences and opportunities, individuals can develop the skills and knowledge needed to become effective leaders.

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9 TED Talks to help new managers build leadership skills

What do you think is the hardest thing about being a new manager? 

Is it learning how to supervise employees? Making difficult decisions?

When it boils down to it, there are many challenges that come with being a manager. One of the most difficult ones is often learning how to become a leader, especially in the face of uncertainty and ever-changing circumstances. 

True leaders don’t just manage. They inspire and create a shared vision for the future. They know how to tell a story and how to listen to others’ perspectives. They are authentic and willing to share their truth.

These unique skills and qualities are what separates mere managers from transformational leaders.

How to develop managers into leaders

When it boils down to it, there’s an abundance of materials out there dedicated to helping managers develop leadership skills. 

We have conferences, university courses, and entire books on the subject. Many companies even have their own long-term development programs designed to build leaders.

Although organizations spend almost $50 billion every year on leadership development, for many companies, it’s not enough. 

In fact, an estimated 84% of organizations anticipate a leadership shortage in the next five years!

Spending more money isn’t necessarily the answer, though. 

While leadership development programs and training are important, we also need to focus on continuously targeting key leadership skill development.

That’s one of the great things about TED Talks. 

They’re free to watch and you can find great videos on almost any subject. When it comes to leadership, the sheer volume of TED Talks out there is almost overwhelming. 

In this list of the top nine TED Talks to help new managers build leadership skills, you’ll find a variety of leadership lessons for your new managers. Each one targets a crucial leadership skill and you can use the post-talk ideas and activities to get the most out of each video.

With that in mind, here are the top nine TED Talks to help your new managers develop into leaders.

1. Simon Sinek | How Great Leaders Inspire Action

Leadership skill: inspirational leadership.

Have you ever had a manager who was just uninspiring? 

They weren’t necessarily “bad” at their job. They just weren’t motivating or engaging. And often, work suffers if leaders aren’t able to inspire their teams.

In this TED Talk, Simon Sinek, author of the New York Times bestsellers Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last , explains the “Golden Circle” model. 

The majority of leaders focus on the what — i.e., what their team needs to do. Some leaders focus on the how . But inspirational leaders always start with the why . They communicate from the inside out to get their team to understand their vision.

This type of communication requires using the limbic brain to come from a place of purpose. Sinek explains that leaders who start with why are more likely to inspire their team and get them to follow in their footsteps.

Post-Video Exercise to Find Your Why as a Leader

Before managers can inspire their teams, they need to be passionate about their own work and understand their purpose as a leader.

After your managers watch Sinek’s TED Talk, ask them to reflect on what they’ve learned. 

Have them think of a work activity that makes them feel alive — something that causes them to get into deep focus.

This will be different for everyone. It could be anything from helping an employee work through a problem to creating a PowerPoint presentation. Whatever the case may be, ask them to write it down.

Once that’s done, have them identify which need their answer meets for the team. Does it help them make better decisions or build awareness about a new product or process?

Finally, ask your managers to describe the impact the activity has on their employees' personal or work lives. The impact they identify will help them see the meaning their work brings. 

Once they’ve worked through this exercise, they can also use it with their teams to help their employees understand the why behind their work.

2. Patti Dobrowolski | Draw Your Future

Leadership Skill: Innovation & Future-Mindedness

Oftentimes, new managers don’t want to rock the boat. They may be intimidated and don’t want to cause any waves with employees, their peers, or leadership. 

This usually leads to one thing: the status quo.

In this TED Talk, Patti Dobrowolski shares how drawing can lead to innovation. Her method, based on neuroscience, uses the power of thinking to create a vision for the future. Managers can use this to create a new reality for themselves, their teams, and their organizations.

When it comes to change, the deck is usually stacked against us. In fact, research has shown that we’re often facing 9 to 1 odds when it comes to making effective changes.

Dobrowolski suggests that when we envision our desired future, we start to believe. Once we believe, we can then train and execute our vision to the fullest.

But can something as simple as drawing create lasting change?

Science suggests it can. Believe it or not, it’s been shown that drawing and dreaming creates serotonin in the brain . This, in turn, enhances creativity and allows us to come up with more innovative ideas to reach our goals.

Post-Video Exercise to Create Your Desired Reality

Many times when new managers come in, they may be faced with underperforming teams, a culture of mistrust, or other circumstances that make it difficult to manage effectively. 

Being able to envision a different reality can help improve employee relationships, engagement, and productivity.

Once your managers have finished watching Dobrowolski’s TED Talk, ask them to try it for themselves.

On a large poster, have them draw current reality on the left side of the poster. Ask them to reflect for several minutes on what their desired reality looks like and then draw it on the right side.

Make sure they spend some time filling the poster with color and emotion then they can begin to build their roadmap. Have your managers identify three bold steps they can take to make it a reality.

Remember, as Dobrowolski suggests, ask yourself a simple question: What’s the boldest thing I could do to get from here to there?

3. Rush Milligan | Storytelling: How to tell a leader from a manager

Leadership Skill: Telling a Story

You’ve probably heard the story about The Three Little Pigs .

The little pigs are ready to set out on their own, find their own path in life, and create their own future.

So they start by building their own house — a place to call their own.

The first is money-conscious. He wants to make the most of his money and buys cheap straw. The second is willing to invest a little more and uses wood. The third wants to be prepared for anything and spends more to build with brick.

I think we all know what happens next.

Stories like The Three Little Pigs draw us in. They make us interested and we learn something.

That’s the power of a story. 

While your managers may not be educating the world about the importance of strong building materials, they often have a story and a lesson to share — or many of them.

There’s a difference between the data (i.e., what the pigs buy), the information (i.e., the wolf blows down a house), and the story .

According to Milligan, storytelling is a human transforming something or being transformed. Stories are what connect us together as human beings. They can help us gain buy-in and rally our teams.

Post-Video Exercise to Create a Story

Storytelling is about turning data and information into something an audience can connect with. 

Ask your new managers to think about the message they are trying to get across. 

What is the data and what is the information? What emotions are tied to each? How might the information affect someone's experience or how they feel?

With these insights, they can begin to create the story — and bring the team together.

4. Chris Anderson | TED’s secret to great public speaking

Leadership skill: public speaking.

Ah, public speaking. 

Whether presenting to a small group or large, speaking to an audience causes many to tense up. Once we get past the initial anxiety of public speaking, we often face another challenge: figuring out how to effectively present and ensure our audience is engaged.

As a new leader, your managers will likely be faced with situations where they need to get their team on board with a new project or present an idea to executive leadership for sponsorship.

In this TED Talk, Chris Anderson expresses that “ideas are the most powerful force shaping human culture” and, as speakers, our number one task is to build that idea inside the minds of our audience.

Take, for instance, a presentation about new software. Before you can get your audience to care about how to use it, they need a clear understanding of the value the technology brings. 

Anderson describes this as the “one major idea.” For the most effective presentation, focus on a single idea and make it worth sharing. Give it context and use it to inspire others.

Post-Video Exercise to Develop a Great Presentation

Developing a great presentation starts with one major idea. 

Once your new managers watch Anderson’s TED Talk, give each of them a mock scenario and ask them to develop a short, five-minute presentation. For this, ask them to use Anderson’s four guidelines.

Identify one idea everything can link back to.

Figure out how to make their audience curious and want to know more about their topic. One thing your managers can try that Anderson suggests is developing intriguing, provocative questions they can ask their audience.

Use language and concepts their audience easily understands. Is there a metaphor the audience might connect with?

Make it clear who benefits from the idea and try to work that into the presentation.

5. Brene Brown | The Power of Vulnerability

Leadership skill: vulnerability.

Leading during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic can be a tremendous challenge, especially for new managers. Now more than ever, our managers need to show their teams compassion and empathy. And that often starts with vulnerability.

According to McKinsey , when leaders show vulnerability during a crisis, team members have lower stress levels and increased productivity.

As human beings, we are wired for connections. That’s what brings meaning to our lives. In the workplace, teams need to connect with each other and their direct managers.

Brene Brown explains that we have to be vulnerable to truly establish connections with each other. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s necessary and becomes less excruciating as we embrace it.

With embracing vulnerability comes whole-hearted living — which means having the courage to be imperfect, putting yourself out there, and letting yourself be seen.

Further Resources for Developing Vulnerability as a Leader

• Dare to Lead book
• Dare to Lead podcast

6. Irving Washington | Authentic Leadership for the Future

Leadership Skill: Authenticity 

Vulnerability is an important leadership trait. But just because you’re being vulnerable doesn’t always mean others will be. It often makes them feel awkward or insecure about their own leadership abilities. 

In many businesses, the organizational culture tells managers to not talk about leadership challenges. Unsurprisingly, this type of culture can be particularly challenging for developing leaders.

In his TED Talk, Irving Washington explores the “one idea for the future of leadership” which encompasses compassion, diversity, and strategy. 

Leadership is all of these things and more. But how do you do all of those things? 

Washington’s answer to this is embracing your authenticity. Being an authentic leader means “loving yourself, congratulating yourself on good days, forgiving yourself on bad days, and doing the absolute best you can.”

Post-Video Exercise to Become an Authentic Leader

Being an authentic leader also means learning to love yourself. Part of this is taking the time to recharge and making sure your own cup is full before you can pour yourself into others’ cups. 

After your new managers watch Washington’s TED Talk, ask them to spend 10 minutes creating their own self-care plan.

For some, this may mean working on setting boundaries. For others, it could be taking the time to reflect or get outside and take a walk.

The self-care plans your managers create should be manageable. But they should also pose a slight challenge.

7. Dan Ariely | What Makes us Feel Good About Work?

Leadership skill: motivating teams.

What motivates our employees? For many, money is the first thing that comes to mind. But motivation isn’t that simple.

In Dan Ariely’s TED Talk, he discusses the difference between meaningful work and a Sisyphusian condition — an endless cycle of work without meaning and its impact on motivation.

At the end of the day, employees want to take ownership of their work and be challenged. They also need to receive recognition for their contributions to stay motivated and productive.

Post-Video Exercise: Motivating Employees

Once your new managers have a better understanding of the importance of providing meaningful work and recognition, ask them to identify one employee who’s doing or has recently done a great job. 

Ask them to spend five minutes answering the following questions and reflecting on their responses:

• What has your employee done well? 
• What was the outcome of their work?
• How can you recognize them for their contributions?
• Are there ways to let them have more ownership of their work?

8. Celeste Headlee | 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation

Leadership skill: effective conversations.

A key trait that almost every great leader shares is the ability to listen. 

Undoubtedly, COVID-19 and remote work has made effective workplace communication more difficult than ever. Although convenient, video conferences and meetings can hinder conversations because of the lack of body language and inevitable technological problems.

In Celeste Headlee’s TED Talk, she shares 10 basic rules new managers can use to improve conversations virtually and in person.

Post-Video Exercise: Planning a Difficult Conversation

With learning, applying what you learn is crucial for retaining new skills. Ask your managers to spend a few minutes mapping out a plan to hold a difficult conversation with someone.

Using Headlee’s tips, have your new managers work through the following questions:

• Who do you need to have a difficult conversation with and why?
• How can you create a space, distraction-free space to have the conversation?
• What language should you avoid? 
• Are there better alternatives?
• What are some open-ended questions you may want to ask to learn more about their perspective?

9. Walid Afifi | How Uncertainty Affects Us

Leadership Skill: Leading During Uncertainty

If there’s one thing that’s been certain throughout this pandemic, it’s that managers and their teams are each facing a lot of uncertainty. 

Uncertainty is a universal feeling. 

According to Walid Afifi’s TED Talk, our bodies and minds respond to uncertainty with the same degree of intensity as we do with a major event like war. Understanding how this affects us can help leaders better connect with and support their teams.

We often handle not knowing worse than we handle bad news because there are so many unknowns. During times of uncertainty, we have an innate need to be certain about one thing: the people you care about also care about you. We need to hear someone close to us say: “I am here for you.”

Post-Video Exercise: Committing to Being There for Employees

As Afifi shares, we need to know someone is watching our back. In the workplace, this translates to having managers that are engaged and value their employees.

After watching Afifi’s TED Talk, take the time to facilitate discussions about specific actions managers can take to be there for their employees. With that in mind, here are some ideas to jumpstart your discussions:

• Schedule time to meet with each employee in a one-on-one meeting
• Talk about uncertainty and the impact it has had 
• Let employees know you there here for them
• Ask how you can help

Transforming Managers Into Leaders

Great leaders inspire and authentically lead teams in creating a shared vision.

Leadership development is a continuous process. Although sometimes overlooked, TED Talks like the ones shared in this article can be a powerful way to help new managers step into their role as leaders.

There’s only one question left to answer: Which one will you watch first?

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What Type of Leadership Development Is Right for You?

• 04 Apr 2024

Think of leaders you admire. What qualities do they embody? What abilities do they have? Even if it seems like leadership comes naturally to them, they had to learn, build, and hone their skills.

“Leadership is sometimes misunderstood as a mystical quality that some people embody and others don’t,” says Harvard Business School Professor Joshua Margolis in the online course Leadership Principles .

The truth is: Anyone can learn how to become an effective leader. The process of gaining and practicing leadership skills is called leadership development , and it’s beneficial for new and seasoned leaders alike.

Access your free e-book today.

Why Is Leadership Development Important?

Whether you’re about to make the jump from individual contributor to leader or have years of experience and want to sharpen or update your skills, there’s a leadership development option for you. In addition to gaining new skills, taking a development program can signal to your employer that you’re serious about your leadership journey.

If you’re an experienced leader, it can show that you’re willing to grow and adapt to the ever-changing business world. If you aim to advance into a leadership role, it can indicate that you have the skills and drive to do so.

Related: 5 Ways to Demonstrate Your Leadership Potential in the Workplace

Whereas individual contributor roles require specific technical skills, leadership requires more “soft skills” and emotional intelligence. That’s what drove Riya Dashoriya , who works at global learning platform Quizlet, to pursue a Certificate of Specialization in Leadership and Management , which she earned by completing three HBS Online leadership and management courses .

“I was having a hard time trying to convince leadership at my company why I deserved to be an engineering manager so early in my career,” Dashoriya said. “Earning a Certificate of Specialization in Leadership and Management helped me boost my skill set and build the confidence to ask for a promotion.”

Furthering her education paid off for Dashoriya.

“I'm now an engineering manager and get to apply what I learned in my daily life,” she said. “All three courses help me from time to time.”

Dashoriya isn’t alone. In one City Square Associates survey of HBS Online learners, 31 percent reported earning a promotion after taking a course. In another , 90 percent said they feel more self-assured at work, and 84 percent have more confidence making business decisions.

It’s evident that taking a leadership development program can help you increase your confidence, earn a promotion, and gain new skills. But how should you go about selecting one ? Here’s a breakdown of factors and three types of programs to consider.

Factors to Consider When Planning Your Leadership Development

It’s crucial to determine what you want and need from your leadership development program before researching options.

Factors to consider include your:

• Existing skills: What leadership skills do you already possess?
• Goals: What do you want to get from a leadership development course? What skills do you need to reach your goals?
• Schedule and time commitment: How much time can you dedicate to your program per week? How long would you prefer its duration to be?
• Budget and program cost: What’s your budget, and how much are you willing to pay? Explore whether your employer can help fund your professional development .
• Credential or certificate: What will you earn ? Decide whether you want a certificate, a credential, or a more specialized option.

Related: How to Choose the Right Online Certificate Program for You

Types of Leadership Development: Finding the Best Fit

Once you’ve taken stock of your goals, skills, and logistical requirements, it’s time to research programs. In terms of topics, there are three types: those that teach foundational skills, those that teach specialized skills, and those that teach both.

Foundational Skills

Those that teach foundational leadership skills are ideal if you’re an aspiring or a new leader who wants a shorter-duration program. They offer guidance on adopting a managerial mindset, developing your leadership style , making difficult decisions, and influencing others.

HBS Online offers several certificate courses—running between six and eight weeks—that fall into this category:

• Leadership Principles , taught by HBS professors Joshua Margolis and Tony Mayo, helps you develop your personal leadership style and bring out the best in yourself and others.
• Management Essentials , taught by HBS professors Joseph Fuller and David Garvin, equips you with everything from perspectives on management to tools for guiding organizational change.
• Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability , taught by HBS Professor Nien-hê Hsieh, outlines how to define and act on your responsibilities to stakeholders and lead with integrity.
• Power and Influence for Positive Impact , taught by HBS Professor Julie Battilana, provides a framework for understanding power and using it to positively impact others, your organization, and society at large.

Specialized Skills

If you already have a solid leadership foundation, a development program focused on more specialized leadership skills could be the right fit.

Courses in this category teach more granular skills, including honing in on specific steps of the strategic process, leading change at scale , and being a more effective leader . They can also focus on topics surrounding leadership’s future, such as digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

Listen to HBS Professor Linda Hill discuss leading change and the paradoxes of management on The Parlor Room podcast below, or watch it on YouTube .

HBS Online offers several certificate courses—running between seven and eight weeks—that fit this description:

• Organizational Leadership , also taught by Margolis and Mayo, prepares you to elevate your leadership style to apply it to larger teams and scale up your influence and organizational alignment.
• Strategy Execution , taught by HBS Professor Robert Simons, zeroes in on the strategy process’s final step and helps you overcome execution challenges , manage risk, and measure strategies’ success.
• Negotiation Mastery , taught by HBS Professor Michael Wheeler, equips you with the skills to analyze negotiation dynamics, de-escalate conflict, and maximize value in agreements .

Comprehensive Program

If you aim to build both foundational and specialized skills, research leadership development programs that encompass both.

One example is HBS Online’s Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) . Comprising seven courses, this yearlong program culminates in a capstone project to apply your learning.

CLIMB offers two learning paths—New and Experienced Leaders—to cater to where you are in your career, with courses including:

• Dynamic Teaming , taught by HBS Professor and CLIMB Faculty Chair Amy Edmondson
• Leading in the Digital World , taught by HBS Professor Linda Hill
• Personal Branding , taught by HBS Senior Lecturer Jill Avery
• Leadership Principles (New Leaders) or Organizational Leadership (Experienced Leaders), both taught by HBS professors Joshua Margolis and Tony Mayo
• Business Strategy , taught by HBS Professor Felix Oberholzer-Gee (New Leaders), or Strategy Execution , taught by HBS Professor Robert Simons (Experienced Leaders)
• Finance elective of your choice: Leading with Finance , taught by HBS Professor Mihir Desai, or Financial Accounting , taught by HBS Professor and HBS Online and Executive Education Senior Associate Dean V.G. Narayanan
• Open elective of your choice from HBS Online’s course catalog

CLIMB pairs foundational (leadership, strategy, and finance) with cutting-edge (dynamic teaming, leading in the digital world, and personal branding) topics to create a leadership development experience that prepares you to excel now and in the future.

Level Up Your Leadership Skills

Determining what you want and need from your leadership development program can set you up to select an offering that helps you reach your goals.

As you progress through your career, explore how to expand, hone, and refresh your skill set—because a strong leader never stops learning.

Are you interested in building foundational and cutting-edge leadership skills? Explore our yearlong Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) program, comprising seven courses for leading in the modern business world. Download our CLIMB brochure to learn more about the curriculum, admissions requirements, and benefits.

Unsure which leadership and management program is right for you? Download our free flowchart .

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10 Ways On How To Develop & Improve Leadership Skills 2024

As they say in the classics, in business there are leaders and then there are followers. And you'd rather be a leader as it brings with it a plethora of advantages. True leaders tend to be visionaries, ‘bigger picture’ kind of people.

A good leader is a perfect team member that has the ability to look ahead and is focused and goal orientated. Leaders bring products to market first, are ahead of others in their industry, have solid communication skills, develop new revenue streams, and by creating a great company culture, they can motivate people to assist with employee retention, and very importantly, aid in better decision-making. 

Decision-making is one of the most important leadership skills. Successful leaders makes the best decisions for the company in all situations. Leaders are experts in making the right decisions based on the then circumstances, weighing the strengths and weaknesses of their institution to make sure that their choices create and opportunity to build growth now and in the future.

If you have not thought about good leadership before, it's time to improve your leadership skills by finding ways to develop leadership skills sooner rather than later.

10 Ways On How To Develop And Improve Leadership Skills 2024

1. develop active listening to understand .

Becoming a great leader means we need to improve our listening skills to truly listen to and get feedback from others, and even read between the lines to understand our team's needs and what is "meaningful" to our direct reports. Sometimes the answer is simple and will help you develop your leadership skills and maybe inspire others to follow in your footsteps.

2. Focus on continuous improvement

Instead of staying current, a good leader is someone who looks to continuous improvement and skill building to help improve their leadership style. Achieving that outcome should involve reading leadership books, having mentors teach and guide you and getting feedback from those you are in charge of leading.

Are you ready to take your career to the next level?

Nexford's Career Path Planner takes into account your experience and interests to provide you with a customized roadmap to success.

Receive personalized advice on the skills and qualifications you need to get ahead in areas like finance, marketing, management and entrepreneurship.

3. Understand other's perspectives

Much as we'd like to think it, we are not always right. So you need to learn how to listen to others and not be draconian in your leadership approach. Understanding other's perspectives is essential for leaders to communicate effectively, demonstrate empathy, make inclusive decisions, resolve conflicts, build trust, and embrace diversity. By incorporating different viewpoints, leaders can enhance their own leadership skills, promote collaboration, and create a positive and productive work environment.

4. Hold quarterly individual meetings

Holding quarterly individual meetings is a valuable practice for leaders to develop and improve their leadership skills. By holding quarterly individual meetings, leaders can strengthen relationships, practice active listening, provide feedback and coaching, align goals, offer support, motivate team members, and engage in self-reflection. These practices contribute to leadership development, fostering a positive and productive work environment.

5. Practice empathy

Practicing empathy is instrumental in developing and improving leadership skills. Empathy refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings, perspectives, and experiences of others. By practicing empathy, leaders can build trust, enhance communication, resolve conflicts, engage and motivate employees, make inclusive decisions, support employee development, and promote well-being. These empathetic leadership qualities contribute to a positive and productive work environment, fostering the growth and success of both individuals and the organization as a whole.

6. Build emotional intelligence

Building emotional intelligence is highly beneficial for developing and improving leadership skills. Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions and the emotions of others. By building emotional intelligence, leaders can enhance self-awareness, develop self-regulation skills, demonstrate empathy, improve communication, resolve conflicts, make informed decisions, build relationships, foster team engagement, and cultivate adaptability. These qualities contribute to effective leadership, promote a positive work culture, and drive the success of individuals and the organization as a whole.

7. Seek out professional development

Seeking out professional development is a proactive approach that greatly contributes to the development and improvement of leadership skills. Here's how engaging in professional development activities can benefit leaders. Overall, seeking out professional development enables leaders to enhance their skills, gain diverse perspectives, expand their network, receive feedback, learn from best practices, engage in coaching or mentoring, and embrace a mindset of continuous improvement. These activities contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of leadership skills, enabling leaders to excel in their roles and drive success within their organizations.

8. Adjust with changing values

Adjusting with changing values is crucial for leaders to develop and improve their leadership skills. It enables leaders to adapt to diversity, enhance employee engagement, embrace innovation, build trust, foster inclusive decision-making, exhibit ethical leadership, and engage in continuous learning. By adjusting their approach to align with changing values, leaders can navigate complex challenges, inspire their teams, and lead their organizations effectively in an ever-evolving world.

9. Self-reflect, then adapt

Self-reflection and adapting are powerful tools for developing and improving leadership skills. It is essential for developing and improving leadership skills. They promote self-awareness, continuous learning, adaptability, improved decision-making, relationship building, personal growth, resilience, authentic leadership, and feedback-driven development. By engaging in self-reflection and adapting their approach, leaders can cultivate their skills, drive their own growth, and positively impact their teams and organizations.

10. Find a mentor

Landing a leadership position that feels like sink or swim with no support doesn't require drowning. Look toward your professional network and upwardly within the company to find a mentor relationship that can keep you on the fast track to leadership success.

Looking To Further Develop Your Leadership Skills?

Leadership skills are extremely important to excel in a career. However, other soft and hard skills are also needed.

Discover how you can acquire the most in-demand skills with our free report, and open the doors to a successful career.  Download the free report  today!

Why not also check out our leadership and organization development course , which will give you skills need to be confident in leadership within an organization!

What is the difference between a leader and a manager?

While both leaders and mentors play important roles in guiding and supporting others, there are distinct differences between the two. A leader is responsible for providing direction, making decisions, and overseeing the work of a team or organization, whilst a mentor on the other hand, serves as a trusted advisor and guide to an individual or a protégé. It's worth noting that leaders can also serve as mentors, and mentoring skills can enhance a leader's effectiveness. However, the primary distinction lies in their roles, scope of influence, relationship dynamics, and focus.

Why are leadership skills important in the workplace?

Leadership is a vital component of management that helps to direct an organization's resources to improve efficiency and achieve business goals. Effective leadership means providing clarity of purpose, motivating and guiding the organization to realize its mission. Regardless of your position, understanding the role of a leader can help you to make a more meaningful contribution to the accomplishment of your company's objectives. In this article, we discuss the importance of leadership and its impact on the fortunes of an organization.

How do you improve leadership skills in the workplace?

Leadership and management skills are essential for anyone who wants to be successful in business or their career. The good news is that effective leadership is a skill that you can learn. There are six effective ways to improve your leadership skills. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Take management and leadership courses. Brush up on your hard and soft skills. Find a mentor. Determine your goals. Last but not least, admit when you fail and move on.

How to develop new leaders within your company?

Many employees in management positions demonstrate leadership qualities to their teams, such as delegating tasks and creating goals for a department. As a manager, it's important to observe all the members of your team to determine who might be a suitable candidate for a potential leadership role. Understanding more about what it takes to be a leader in the workplace can help you implement strategies to develop more effective leaders. There are tried and trusted ways to do this. Recognize people with leadership potential. Mentor potential leaders. Highlight the importance of hard and soft skills . Give constructive feedback. Provide opportunities for development. And provide leadership development at an early stage.

Why should companies have leadership development programs?

Independent studies by the Conference Board, Bersin by Deloitte, HR analytics experts McBassi & Company, and our own researchers consistently reach the same conclusion: Leadership development is one of the most pressing issues facing organizations today. Leadership skills are vital and are essential in the modern workplace, and if your business commits to developing its leaders, you can expect to gain a significant competitive advantage by improving the bottom line; attracting, developing, and retaining talent; driving strategy execution; and increasing your success when navigating change. There are four reasons why leadership development should be high up on any organization's to do list. It helps improve bottom-line financial performance, attract and retain talent, drive strategy execution, and increase success in navigating change.

Conclusion 

There can be no doubt that having an effective leadership strategy in place can be mutually beneficial to the business and people's individual growth. No company can afford to stagnate or not use career development to develop a positive work environment, or they will be swallowed up by companies that do so and breed effective leaders. Developing strong leadership skills can be taught on the job, but to build leadership skills is to take courses at online universities such as  Nexford . 

What many companies are finding that instead of training people on the job, the best course of action is to enroll chosen members of staff on courses such as ' leadership and organizational development ' at online universities such as Nexford. This can help fast-track and enhance your leadership skills and provide vital skills needed to take your career to the next level.

Nexford's leadership and organizational development course examines individual and group interaction and helps learners gain a deeper understanding of how human behavior drives organizational behavior and development.

Drawing from neuroscience and cognitive science perspectives, learners transition from manager to leader through the lens of managing self, others, teams, and relationships. On the course learners will examine principles of motivation, communication, leadership, organizational development and change relevant to contemporary issues.

Looking to potentially take your career even further? Consider how an  Online BBA  or  Online MBA  can help you develop these skills and increase your earning potential.

Mark is a college graduate with Honours in Copywriting. He is the Content Marketing Manager at Nexford, creating engaging, thought-provoking, and action-oriented content.

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What Are Effective Presentation Skills (and How to Improve Them)

Presentation skills are essential for your personal and professional life. Learn about effective presentations and how to boost your presenting techniques.

At least seven out of 10 Americans agree that presentation skills are essential for a successful career [ 1 ]. Although it might be tempting to think that these are skills reserved for people interested in public speaking roles, they're critical in a diverse range of jobs. For example, you might need to brief your supervisor on research results.

Presentation skills are also essential in other scenarios, including working with a team and explaining your thought process, walking clients through project ideas and timelines, and highlighting your strengths and achievements to your manager during performance reviews.

Whatever the scenario, you have very little time to capture your audience’s attention and get your point across when presenting information—about three seconds, according to research [ 2 ]. Effective presentation skills help you get your point across and connect with the people you’re communicating with, which is why nearly every employer requires them.

Understanding what presentation skills are is only half the battle. Honing your presenting techniques is essential for mastering presentations of all kinds and in all settings.

What are presentation skills?

Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images.

You'll make presentations at various times in your life. Examples include:

Making speeches at a wedding, conference, or another event

Making a toast at a dinner or event

Explaining projects to a team 

Delivering results and findings to management teams

Teaching people specific methods or information

Proposing a vote at community group meetings

Pitching a new idea or business to potential partners or investors

Why are presentation skills important? 

Delivering effective presentations is critical in your professional and personal life. You’ll need to hone your presentation skills in various areas, such as when giving a speech, convincing your partner to make a substantial purchase, and talking to friends and family about an important situation.

No matter if you’re using them in a personal or professional setting, these are the skills that make it easier and more effective to convey your ideas, convince or persuade others, and experience success. A few of the benefits that often accompany improving your presentation skills include:

Enriched written and verbal communication skills

Enhanced confidence and self-image

Boosted critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities

Better motivational techniques

Increased leadership skills

Expanded time management, negotiation, and creativity

The better your presenting techniques, the more engaging your presentations will be. You could also have greater opportunities to make positive impacts in business and other areas of your life.

Effective presentation skills

Imagine yourself in the audience at a TED Talk or sitting with your coworkers at a big meeting held by your employer. What would you be looking for in how they deliver their message? What would make you feel engaged?

These are a few questions to ask yourself as you review this list of some of the most effective presentation skills.

Verbal communication

How you use language and deliver messages play essential roles in how your audience will receive your presentation. Speak clearly and confidently, projecting your voice enough to ensure everyone can hear. Think before you speak, pausing when necessary and tailoring the way you talk to resonate with your particular audience.

Body language

Body language combines various critical elements, including posture, gestures, eye contact, expressions, and position in front of the audience. Body language is one of the elements that can instantly transform a presentation that would otherwise be dull into one that's dynamic and interesting.

Voice projection

The ability to project your voice improves your presentation by allowing your audience to hear what you're saying. It also increases your confidence to help settle any lingering nerves while also making your message more engaging. To project your voice, stand comfortably with your shoulders back. Take deep breaths to power your speaking voice and ensure you enunciate every syllable you speak.

How you present yourself plays a role in your body language and ability to project your voice. It also sets the tone for the presentation. Avoid slouching or looking overly tense. Instead, remain open, upright, and adaptable while taking the formality of the occasion into account.

Storytelling

Incorporating storytelling into a presentation is an effective strategy used by many powerful public speakers. It has the power to bring your subject to life and pique the audience’s curiosity. Don’t be afraid to tell a personal story, slowly building up suspense or adding a dramatic moment. And, of course, be sure to end with a positive takeaway to drive your point home.

Active listening

Active listening is a valuable skill all on its own. When you understand and thoughtfully respond to what you hear—whether it's in a conversation or during a presentation—you’ll likely deepen your personal relationships and actively engage audiences during a presentation. As part of your presentation skill set, it helps catch and maintain the audience’s attention, helping them remain focused while minimizing passive response, ensuring the message is delivered correctly, and encouraging a call to action.

Stage presence

During a presentation, projecting confidence can help keep your audience engaged. Stage presence can help you connect with your audience and encourage them to want to watch you. To improve your presence, try amping up your normal demeanor by infusing it with a bit of enthusiasm. Project confidence and keep your information interesting.

Watch your audience as you’re presenting. If you’re holding their attention, it likely means you’re connecting well with them.

Self-awareness

Monitoring your own emotions and reactions will allow you to react well in various situations. It helps you remain personable throughout your presentation and handle feedback well. Self-awareness can help soothe nervousness during presentations, allowing you to perform more effectively.

Writing skills

Writing is a form of presentation. Sharp writing skills can help you master your presentation’s outline to ensure you stay on message and remain clear about your objectives from the beginning until the end. It’s also helpful to have strong writing abilities for creating compelling slides and other visual aids.

Understanding an audience

When you understand your audience's needs and interests, you can design your presentation around them. In turn, you'll deliver maximum value to them and enhance your ability to make your message easy to understand.

Learn more about presentation skills from industry experts at SAP:

How to improve presentation skills

There’s an art to public speaking. Just like any other type of art, this is one that requires practice. Improving your presentation skills will help reduce miscommunications, enhance your time management capabilities, and boost your leadership skills. Here are some ways you can improve these skills:

Work on self-confidence.

When you’re confident, you naturally speak more clearly and with more authority. Taking the time to prepare your presentation with a strong opening and compelling visual aids can help you feel more confident. Other ways to improve your self-confidence include practicing positive self-talk, surrounding yourself with positive people, and avoiding comparing yourself (or your presentation) to others.

Develop strategies for overcoming fear.

Many people are nervous or fearful before giving a presentation. A bad memory of a past performance or insufficient self-confidence can contribute to fear and anxiety. Having a few go-to strategies like deep breathing, practicing your presentation, and grounding can help you transform that fear into extra energy to put into your stage presence.

Learn grounding techniques.

Grounding is any type of technique that helps you steer your focus away from distressing thoughts and keeps you connected with your present self. To ground yourself, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and imagine you’re a large, mature tree with roots extending deep into the earth—like the tree, you can become unshakable.

Learn how to use presentation tools.

Visual aids and other technical support can transform an otherwise good presentation into a wow-worthy one. A few popular presentation tools include:

Canva: Provides easy-to-design templates you can customize

Powtoon: Animation software that makes video creation fast and easy

PowerPoint: Microsoft's iconic program popular for dynamic marketing and sales presentations

Practice breathing techniques.

Breathing techniques can help quell anxiety, making it easier to shake off pre-presentation jitters and nerves. It also helps relax your muscles and get more oxygen to your brain.  For some pre-presentation calmness, you can take deep breaths, slowly inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

While presenting, breathe in through your mouth with the back of your tongue relaxed so your audience doesn't hear a gasping sound. Speak on your exhalation, maintaining a smooth voice.

Gain experience.

The more you practice, the better you’ll become. The more you doanything, the more comfortable you’ll feel engaging in that activity. Presentations are no different. Repeatedly practicing your own presentation also offers the opportunity to get feedback from other people and tweak your style and content as needed.

Tips to help you ace your presentation

Your presentation isn’t about you; it’s about the material you’re presenting. Sometimes, reminding yourself of this ahead of taking center stage can help take you out of your head, allowing you to connect effectively with your audience. The following are some of the many actions you can take on the day of your presentation.

Arrive early.

Since you may have a bit of presentation-related anxiety, it’s important to avoid adding travel stress. Give yourself an abundance of time to arrive at your destination, and take into account heavy traffic and other unforeseen events. By arriving early, you also give yourself time to meet with any on-site technicians, test your equipment, and connect with people ahead of the presentation.

Become familiar with the layout of the room.

Arriving early also gives you time to assess the room and figure out where you want to stand. Experiment with the acoustics to determine how loudly you need to project your voice, and test your equipment to make sure everything connects and appears properly with the available setup. This is an excellent opportunity to work out any last-minute concerns and move around to familiarize yourself with the setting for improved stage presence.

Listen to presenters ahead of you.

When you watch others present, you'll get a feel for the room's acoustics and lighting. You can also listen for any data that’s relevant to your presentation and revisit it during your presentation—this can make the presentation more interactive and engaging.

Use note cards.

Writing yourself a script could provide you with more comfort. To prevent sounding too robotic or disengaged, only include talking points in your note cards in case you get off track. Using note cards can help keep your presentation organized while sounding more authentic to your audience.

Learn to deliver clear and confident presentations with Dynamic Public Speaking from the University of Washington. Build confidence, develop new delivery techniques, and practice strategies for crafting compelling presentations for different purposes, occasions, and audiences.

Article sources

Forbes. “ New Survey: 70% Say Presentation Skills are Critical for Career Success , https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/09/25/new-survey-70-percent-say-presentation-skills-critical-for-career-success/?sh=619f3ff78890.” Accessed December 7, 2022.

Beautiful.ai. “ 15 Presentation and Public Speaking Stats You Need to Know , https://www.beautiful.ai/blog/15-presentation-and-public-speaking-stats-you-need-to-know. Accessed December 7, 2022.

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Developing Effective Leadership Skills Workshop

Developing effective leadership skills workshop presentation, free google slides theme and powerpoint template.

In today's rapidly changing business landscape, the need for effective leadership skills has become more critical than ever. Developing these skills is not an easy task, but it is possible with the right guidance and tools. That's where this design comes in handy. Designed by experienced professionals, this template will be the canvas that helps you share all the tips for developing leadership skills, from communication and decision-making to team management and strategic thinking. With its user-friendly interface and engaging visuals, this template is guaranteed to make your workshop a success

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• Aug 28, 2023

5 Concepts that Improve Leadership Presentation Skills Immediately

Leadership presentation skills are essential for fast growing organizations. Effective leadership presentations require a combination of strong communication skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to connect with the audience. These skills allow leaders to articulate their vision, inspire their teams, and influence decision-making. A successful leadership presentation must be well-organized, engaging, and delivered with confidence and clarity. Leaders who can communicate their ideas effectively can foster a sense of teamwork, trust, and accountability among their team members. In addition, they can build strong relationships with stakeholders and clients, create a positive image for their organization, and drive growth and success. Start with shifting mindsets before learning leadership presentation skills. Here are five thoughts to start practicing until they become beliefs and then part of your personality.

1. You love your audience and the idea

When you are filled with love as an emotion, it is hard to be nervous. Leaders will have more open, expressive nonverbal communication and better tone of voice when connected to the most powerful emotion. This is a foundational emotion for building trust, inspiring others, and driving success in any organization. This is how you foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration, and create a shared sense of purpose.

2. You know your incredible value and believe in your expertise

Your expertise, professionalism, and commitment to excellence are inspiring to them. You are positively impacting the organization. You don't have to be the expert and know everything. You have to be sure of yourself and your ability to see the path forward. Know the plan and have the vision.

3. You are ready to fight the villains

What is your noble fight? What battles are you facing? Increase your courage and conviction. Be ready for hardship and be a model to others that we cannot take the easy path if we want incredible outcomes.

4. Your words are powerful

Choose words that inspire and motivate team members, foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration, and create a shared sense of purpose.

5. You have all the time you need

Anxious energy will not influence decision-making and shape the culture of the organization the right way. Your people do not want to see you frantic and frenzied.

These beliefs fuel leadership communication behaviors. This is how you become know for being a great leader and communicator.

Here are a few experiments for your next leadership presentation:

Engage the audience early

Get the audience to smile or laugh in the beginning

Keep them interested with twists and turns

Use different vocal styles - mood map the talk!

Record yourself and watch it

You can improve your leadership presentation skills with ease when you put attention to changing your mindsets and a few behaviors.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Developing communication skills is easy when you work with Speak by Design. We work with clients from around the world to help them master the art of public speaking and strengthen their presentation skills. We work with individuals, groups, and entire organizations. Your voice is powerful...if you know how to use it. Contact us today to learn more.

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8 Leadership Presentation Skills Your Team Need From You

Jun 24, 2017 by maurice decastro in communication skills , leadership , presentation skills.

Do you have the leadership presentation skills your team need from you?

Presentation skills are often referred to as a ‘soft skill’ in many organisations.

At Mindful Presenter we believe that there is nothing ‘soft’ about the art of communication. We would go as far as to say that it is the most important skill in the world today.

According to the late Psychologist Abraham Maslow and the more recent thinking of Tony Robbins, we know one thing for certain.

Human beings need to connect with one another

Abraham Maslow calls it belonging/love, whilst Tony Robbins refers to it as connection/love. At Mindful Presenter we believe that, ‘connecting is everything’.

Whether you are an engineer, lawyer, teacher or tailor, the way we communicate with each other is extremely important.

Having the ability to speak doesn’t necessarily make us good at it.

Anyone can share information

Whether our content is clearly understood is an entirely different matter.

Some leaders think that there are no technical competencies attached to communication.  That belief fuels the myth that communication doesn’t affect the financial success of their business. There is often an assumption that just because we can speak well during an interview, we can all communicate effectively.

What’s the problem?

Poor communication is a bit like high blood pressure. If you neglect it for too long the consequences can be disastrous.

At school we are taught to read, remember and repeat

We learn a wide range of skills, although, effective communication isn’t often one of them.

Some of us move on to higher education and the growing pressure to pass exams increases exponentially. We learn to read, remember and repeat at a much higher level.

How much time is invested in helping us to speak with confidence, clarity and impact?

We leave school, graduate from college or university and suddenly find ourselves in a new world

It’s a world where the most important skill we need to survive, let alone thrive, is communication. One day we are asked to present our work or ideas to colleagues or customers and the panic sets in. It’s no wonder that so many people have some anxiety about public speaking.

What leadership presentation skills does your team need from you?

Start with abandoning the delusion that communication is a ‘soft skill’.

Here are 8 leadership presentation skills we need to help our teams to communicate more effectively.

1. Create trust

Trust begins with honesty, openness and transparency.

Invest as much time and energy as you can encouraging your team to speak openly.

Create a culture where everyones voice is valued and respected.

Nurture an environment where people can feel and be themselves

Assure your team that they don’t have to edit everything they say just because you are the boss.

2. Start connecting

Every organisation has its own internal communication culture.

Much of the ‘corporate speak’ our teams hear every day isn’t very helpful.

Stop churning out emails and updates in a language that very few people understand. It’s not how most people speak themselves.

Only send it to those who it’s completely relevant to.

Make it personal, human, relevant and engaging

Whether you are writing it or saying it, make sure that it’s focused on connecting with the team.

3. Show vulnerability

If you want your team to present their ideas with passion, purpose and energy, lead the way.

Show them how to do it first

Help them how to be open and know that it’s fine to feel vulnerable.

Show them how to lighten up, relax and not take everything so seriously. Help them to be themselves rather than simply their job title.

Avoid the ‘corporate speak’ by being yourself

Show them that’s how you want them to be too.

4. ‘I don’t know’

In our presentation training workshops we help professionals to find the courage to simply say ‘I don’t know’.

It’s not really a presentation skills issue, it’s a leadership one

We work with people everyday who are told it’s unacceptable to say ‘I don’t know’. They work in a culture where they are expected to know the answer to every question.

Make it acceptable and easy for people to be honest and tell you they ‘don’t know’.

Help them to find the answer.

5. Lighten up

Imagine this:

– It’s the monthly management meeting.

– Everyone arrives and sits in exactly the same seat they sit in every month.

– The team takes it in turn to go around the room to share their update.

– They read out the same KPI’s that they do every month in the same voice.

– Each presenter fends off a barrage of questions from the most senior person in the room.

It’s predicatble and tedious

Do whatever it takes to make every meeting different, fun and engaging.

Most of all make them something that your team can look forward to rather than dread.

6. Keep it conversational

No one likes to be lectured to.

As leaders we each have an opportunity to connect with our teams in a far more conversational manner.

Keep your message personal, focused and tailored to the people you are speaking with. Involve them, and ask them how they feel.

Please don’t lecture them.

7. Feelings matter

Be absolutely clear before you begin to speak how you want people to feel.

How do you want them to feel:

– The moment you begin to speak

– All the time they are with you

– The moment they walk out of the door

Most people will forget most of what you said by the time they return to their desk.

They won’t however, forget how you made them feel

Please keep in mind that there is nothing ‘soft’ or easy about communicating effectively.

It’s one of the hardest things we have to do every day.

Help your team to get good at it

Give them the presentation skills to speak with confidence.

8. Leave nothing to chance

Revisit your leadership presentation skills across the 8 important areas above..

Once you’ve committed to help your team to find, value and express their true voice, take action.

– Book them onto a powerful public speaking course .

– Invest in some really good one to one  public speaking coaching .

– Get your team some excellent presentation training

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

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Developing leadership skills

Aug 29, 2014

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Developing leadership skills. by Birgit Pichat. Developing leadership skills. Short about my "theoretical" background What are "leadership skills" Developing leadership skills – from a specialist role: Specialist role – relevant characteristics

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Presentation Transcript

Developing leadership skills by Birgit Pichat

Developing leadership skills • Short about my "theoretical" background • What are "leadership skills" • Developing leadership skills – from a specialist role: • Specialist role – relevant characteristics • Quitting the specialist role – why – the choice • Leveraging on an MBA • The importance of developing personal skills • Last words

Birgit Pichat – background (1) • Childhood: oldest of 3 girls, education a key value • 1983: Graduated from high school in Holstebro, Denmark, science major • 1989: Law degree, University of Aarhus, Denmark • 1989-1992: Law firm, law clerk and associate • 1992: Member of the Danish Bar Association, moved to France, first daughter Caroline

Birgit Pichat – background (2) • 1994: MBA, Grenoble School of Business, second daughter Mathilde • 1994 – 2001: EHPT, joint venture between Ericsson and Hewlett-Packard • Business Manager (1994 -1995) • General Legal Counsel (1996 -1998) • Manager Sales Training (1997-1998) • Vice President Corporate Legal (1999 – 2000) • President EHPT North America (1999 – 2000) • Executive Vice President, Finance and Legal (2000 – 2001) • 2001- today: Moved to Denmark, ALTA COO/CFO

What are "leadership skills"? • Ability to create BUSINESS RESULTS by motivating others to create adequate results - empowerment • Helicopter view – understanding of customers, competitors, market evolution, the company • Setting short and long term direction, objectives • Capability to get the utmost out of people and teams • Good representative for the company – externally and internally • Dare to take decisions

Jim Collins: "From good to great" • Level 1: Qualified employee - creating results through knowledge and expertise • Level 2: Contributing team member – contributes to creating team results through expertise and collaboration • Level 3: Competent manager – organizes people, resources to reach defined objectives • Level 4: Effective leader – engagement and catalyst for vision stimulating better results • Level 5: Level 5-leader - fantastic and lasting results, personal modesty and professional strength

Leadership skills – from a specialist role • Specialist role – relevant characteristics • Quitting the specialist role • Why • The choice • Leveraging on an MBA • The importance of developing personal skills

Specialist role – relevant characteristics • Your expertise provides you with: • Recognition • Power • Identification • Your main development objective is to constantly update and enforce your expertise • You maybe believe your area of expertise is the most important to the company – you focus solely on that.

Quitting the specialist role – why? • Dare to reframe - refocus • What am I really interested in? • What am I really good at? • What is really important to me? • What success stories do I like the most? • Where do I really have fun? • If my life was a film, would anybody see it? • My own answers – there must be something bigger

Quitting the specialist role – the choice • You cannot be both a General Manager and a specialist – one day you have to choose • The choice means giving up something – power, an identity, a recognition – and replace • Not everybody will understand • The lawyer who became an administrator • Don't you miss legal

Leveraging on an MBA • Good overview perspective • Provides new general competences – strategy, sales, marketing, finance, HR, legal – so you know what you are talking about! • Gives you a reason to move on • Gives your company a reason to let you move on • Possible replacement of the power, the identity and recognition you are loosing

The importance of developing personal skills • Leadership is very much about personal skills – so you have to recognize personal skills as competencies • How to develop your personal skills • Training – e.g. management, NLP • Coaching • Mentor • International assignments • Evaluate your own experiences

Last words • Leadership skills is very much about being practical – implementing theory • Theoretical background is not a handicap • To develop leadership skills means a decision to focus and to take the opportunities • Get out of the comfort zone!

Thank you for your attention [email protected] Office: +45 32 63 01 01 Mobile: +45 23 24 28 46 Very last words Leadership Quotes: • "Behold the turtle.  He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.“(James Bryant Conant) • "Well behaved women rarely make history." (Seen on a bumper sticker in Colorado)

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What are presentation skills?

The importance of presentation skills, 6 presentation skills examples, how to improve presentation skills.

Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety

Learn how to captivate an audience with ease

Capturing an audience’s attention takes practice. 

Over time, great presenters learn how to organize their speeches and captivate an audience from start to finish. They spark curiosity, know how to read a room , and understand what their audience needs to walk away feeling like they learned something valuable.

Regardless of your profession, you most likely use presentation skills on a monthly or even weekly basis. Maybe you lead brainstorming sessions or host client calls. 

Developing effective presentation skills makes it easier to contribute ideas with confidence and show others you’re someone to trust. Although speaking in front of a crowd sometimes brings nerves and anxiety , it also sparks new opportunities.

Presentation skills are the qualities and abilities you need to communicate ideas effectively and deliver a compelling speech. They influence how you structure a presentation and how an audience receives it. Understanding body language , creating impactful visual aids, and projecting your voice all fall under this umbrella.

A great presentation depends on more than what you say. It’s about how you say it. Storytelling , stage presence, and voice projection all shape how well you express your ideas and connect with the audience. These skills do take practice, but they’re worth developing — especially if public speaking makes you nervous. 

Engaging a crowd isn’t easy. You may feel anxious to step in front of an audience and have all eyes and ears on you.

But feeling that anxiety doesn’t mean your ideas aren’t worth sharing. Whether you’re giving an inspiring speech or delivering a monthly recap at work, your audience is there to listen to you. Harness that nervous energy and turn it into progress.

Strong presentation skills make it easier to convey your thoughts to audiences of all sizes. They can help you tell a compelling story, convince people of a pitch , or teach a group something entirely new to them. And when it comes to the workplace, the strength of your presentation skills could play a part in getting a promotion or contributing to a new initiative.

To fully understand the impact these skills have on creating a successful presentation, it’s helpful to look at each one individually. Here are six valuable skills you can develop:

1. Active listening

Active listening is an excellent communication skill for any professional to hone. When you have strong active listening skills, you can listen to others effectively and observe their nonverbal cues . This helps you assess whether or not your audience members are engaged in and understand what you’re sharing. 

Great public speakers use active listening to assess the audience’s reactions and adjust their speech if they find it lacks impact. Signs like slouching, negative facial expressions, and roaming eye contact are all signs to watch out for when giving a presentation.

2. Body language

If you’re researching presentation skills, chances are you’ve already watched a few notable speeches like TED Talks or industry seminars. And one thing you probably noticed is that speakers can capture attention with their body language. 

A mixture of eye contact, hand gestures , and purposeful pacing makes a presentation more interesting and engaging. If you stand in one spot and don’t move your body, the audience might zone out.

3. Stage presence

A great stage presence looks different for everyone. A comedian might aim for more movement and excitement, and a conference speaker might focus their energy on the content of their speech. Although neither is better than the other, both understand their strengths and their audience’s needs. 

Developing a stage presence involves finding your own unique communication style . Lean into your strengths, whether that’s adding an injection of humor or asking questions to make it interactive . To give a great presentation, you might even incorporate relevant props or presentation slides.

4. Storytelling

According to Forbes, audiences typically pay attention for about 10 minutes before tuning out . But you can lengthen their attention span by offering a presentation that interests them for longer. Include a narrative they’ll want to listen to, and tell a story as you go along. 

Shaping your content to follow a clear narrative can spark your audience’s curiosity and entice them to pay careful attention. You can use anecdotes from your personal or professional life that take your audience along through relevant moments. If you’re pitching a product, you can start with a problem and lead your audience through the stages of how your product provides a solution.

5. Voice projection

Although this skill may be obvious, you need your audience to hear what you’re saying. This can be challenging if you’re naturally soft-spoken and struggle to project your voice.

Remember to straighten your posture and take deep breaths before speaking, which will help you speak louder and fill the room. If you’re talking into a microphone or participating in a virtual meeting, you can use your regular conversational voice, but you still want to sound confident and self-assured with a strong tone.

If you’re unsure whether everyone can hear you, you can always ask the audience at the beginning of your speech and wait for confirmation. That way, they won’t have to potentially interrupt you later.

Ensuring everyone can hear you also includes your speed and annunciation. It’s easy to speak quickly when nervous, but try to slow down and pronounce every word. Mumbling can make your presentation difficult to understand and pay attention to.

6. Verbal communication 

Although verbal communication involves your projection and tone, it also covers the language and pacing you use to get your point across. This includes where you choose to place pauses in your speech or the tone you use to emphasize important ideas.

If you’re giving a presentation on collaboration in the workplace , you might start your speech by saying, “There’s something every workplace needs to succeed: teamwork.” By placing emphasis on the word “ teamwork ,” you give your audience a hint on what ideas will follow.

To further connect with your audience through diction, pay careful attention to who you’re speaking to. The way you talk to your colleagues might be different from how you speak to a group of superiors, even if you’re discussing the same subject. You might use more humor and a conversational tone for the former and more serious, formal diction for the latter.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses when it comes to presenting. Maybe you’re confident in your use of body language, but your voice projection needs work. Maybe you’re a great storyteller in small group settings, but need to work on your stage presence in front of larger crowds. 

The first step to improving presentation skills is pinpointing your gaps and determining which qualities to build upon first. Here are four tips for enhancing your presentation skills:

1. Build self-confidence

Confident people know how to speak with authority and share their ideas. Although feeling good about your presentation skills is easier said than done, building confidence is key to helping your audience believe in what you’re saying. Try practicing positive self-talk and continuously researching your topic's ins and outs.

If you don’t feel confident on the inside, fake it until you make it. Stand up straight, project your voice, and try your best to appear engaged and excited. Chances are, the audience doesn’t know you’re unsure of your skills — and they don’t need to.

Another tip is to lean into your slideshow, if you’re using one. Create something colorful and interesting so the audience’s eyes fall there instead of on you. And when you feel proud of your slideshow, you’ll be more eager to share it with others, bringing more energy to your presentation.

2. Watch other presentations

Developing the soft skills necessary for a good presentation can be challenging without seeing them in action. Watch as many as possible to become more familiar with public speaking skills and what makes a great presentation. You could attend events with keynote speakers or view past speeches on similar topics online.

Take a close look at how those presenters use verbal communication and body language to engage their audiences. Grab a notebook and jot down what you enjoyed and your main takeaways. Try to recall the techniques they used to emphasize their main points, whether they used pauses effectively, had interesting visual aids, or told a fascinating story.

3. Get in front of a crowd

You don’t need a large auditorium to practice public speaking. There are dozens of other ways to feel confident and develop good presentation skills.

If you’re a natural comedian, consider joining a small stand-up comedy club. If you’re an avid writer, participate in a public poetry reading. Even music and acting can help you feel more comfortable in front of a crowd.

If you’d rather keep it professional, you can still work on your presentation skills in the office. Challenge yourself to participate at least once in every team meeting, or plan and present a project to become more comfortable vocalizing your ideas. You could also speak to your manager about opportunities that flex your public speaking abilities.

4. Overcome fear

Many people experience feelings of fear before presenting in front of an audience, whether those feelings appear as a few butterflies or more severe anxiety. Try grounding yourself to shift your focus to the present moment. If you’re stuck dwelling on previous experiences that didn’t go well, use those mistakes as learning experiences and focus on what you can improve to do better in the future.

Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety 

It’s normal to feel nervous when sharing your ideas. In fact, according to a report from the Journal of Graduate Medical Education, public speaking anxiety is prevalent in 15–30% of the general population .

Even though having a fear of public speaking is common, it doesn’t make it easier. You might feel overwhelmed, become stiff, and forget what you were going to say. But although the moment might scare you, there are ways to overcome the fear and put mind over matter.

Use these tactics to reduce your stress when you have to make a presentation:

1. Practice breathing techniques

If you experience anxiety often, you’re probably familiar with breathing techniques for stress relief . Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine can help you stop worrying and regulate anxious feelings. 

Before a big presentation, take a moment alone to practice breathing techniques, ground yourself, and reduce tension. It’s also a good idea to take breaths throughout the presentation to speak slower and calm yourself down .

2. Get organized

The more organized you are, the more prepared you’ll feel. Carefully outline all of the critical information you want to use in your presentation, including your main talking points and visual aids, so you don’t forget anything. Use bullet points and visuals on each slide to remind you of what you want to talk about, and create handheld notes to help you stay on track.

3. Embrace moments of silence

It’s okay to lose your train of thought. It happens to even the most experienced public speakers once in a while. If your mind goes blank, don’t panic. Take a moment to breathe, gather your thoughts, and refer to your notes to see where you left off. You can drink some water or make a quick joke to ease the silence or regain your footing. And it’s okay to say, “Give me a moment while I find my notes.” Chances are, people understand the position you’re in.

4. Practice makes progress

Before presenting, rehearse in front of friends and family members you trust. This gives you the chance to work out any weak spots in your speech and become comfortable communicating out loud. If you want to go the extra mile, ask your makeshift audience to ask a surprise question. This tests your on-the-spot thinking and will prove that you can keep cool when things come up.

Whether you’re new to public speaking or are a seasoned presenter, you’re bound to make a few slip-ups. It happens to everyone. The most important thing is that you try your best, brush things off, and work on improving your skills to do better in your next presentation.

Although your job may require a different level of public speaking than your favorite TED Talk , developing presentation skills is handy in any profession. You can use presentation skills in a wide range of tasks in the workplace, whether you’re sharing your ideas with colleagues, expressing concerns to higher-ups, or pitching strategies to potential clients.

Remember to use active listening to read the room and engage your audience with an interesting narrative. Don’t forget to step outside your comfort zone once in a while and put your skills to practice in front of a crowd. After facing your fears, you’ll feel confident enough to put presentation skills on your resume.

If you’re trying to build your skills and become a better employee overall, try a communications coach with BetterUp. 

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

The 11 tips that will improve your public speaking skills

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How to Create Slides That Suit Your Superiors: 11 Tips

When you’re pitching ideas or budgets to execs in your organization, you need to deliver slides that fit those particular people just right. This checklist identifies the key considerations.

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I recently interviewed 20 of my customers, all in senior roles at Fortune 100 companies, and asked them their biggest pain point in presenting to higher-ups and even colleagues. What I heard consistently was that it can feel like Goldilocks bouncing from one option to the next, testing to figure out what’s “just right.” Does the audience want deep reports? Sparse slides? Something in between? Like … what?

Teams often come to presentation meetings with vast amounts of backup content just in case an exec wants to take a deep dive on any given point. There’s often a struggle to anticipate every direction attendees might want to go. It’s frustrating, and it’s not efficient.

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There are many ways to build slides. I’m not just talking about crafting them well versus poorly. I’m talking about all of the important decisions regarding how to organize them, how much text to use, when to lean into a chart, the best ways to use bullets and color, and whether to include an appendix with additional information. Before you make your next proposal or request of the executive team, use this list of 11 tips for your next set of slides as a guide.

Four Things You Must Have in Every Exec’s Slides

Before we drill down into the harder aspects, the ones where your executives’ tastes may vary widely, let’s quickly cover four aspects that you can consider the building blocks — the basics you should never proceed without.

Start with an executive summary. Begin the slide deck with a tight executive summary that follows a three-act structure. First, start with stating the current realities. Second, clearly state the problem or opportunity your idea addresses and its potential impact. Third, explain how your recommendation solves the problem or exploits the opportunity and the next steps you’re proposing.

Have a logical organization. The arc of the deck — the package from beginning to end — should make sense. If your audience reads only the headline of every slide, the order should be coherent and make most of the case for you. The content below each slide’s headline must support the statement made in the title. Remove everything that doesn’t support your point; as writers will tell you, you sometimes need to “kill your darlings” when you’re editing.

Begin the slide deck with a tight executive summary that follows a three-act structure.

Make it skimmable. Help your audience to quickly grasp the point without getting bogged down in details. Create a clear visual hierarchy. Guide the reader’s eye through the content: Use bold headings, bullet points, and numbered lists to break down information into digestible pieces. Highlight key takeaways or conclusions in a different color or font size to draw attention to these critical points.

Focus on concise insights. Succinct statements with clear insights are everyone’s jam. Every slide should serve a purpose and contribute directly to the decision-making process. Distill complex information. Don’t use 100 words when 20 words will nail it. If you’re having difficulty trimming, consider using company-approved AI tools to help you take out the fluff.

Five Preferences to Confirm With the Person You Want to Reach

Now we’ll delve into what your particular audience does and does not want. If you haven’t yet, start by asking the person you’re presenting to what they generally prefer. They probably know themselves well but have not been asked to articulate how they like to receive information.

Ask how dense is too dense. Some executives prefer detailed slides with comprehensive data. Others favor a more high-level approach. You’re weighing how to balance informative content with readability, ensuring that slides are not overloaded yet are sufficiently detailed to support decision-making.

Confirm the delivery format and timing. Some execs like information presented to them. Others prefer a pre-read of the material followed by a discussion. I always recommend our tool Slidedocs (I’ve written a free e-book on them), which are visual documents using both words and images. The templates help presenters organize their thoughts into a document for a pre-read or a read-along. They are designed to be skimmable and able to travel through your organization without the help of a presenter.

I’m a huge fan of pre-reads and prefer to use my time in meetings to ask questions and build alignment. If your audience didn’t review your material in advance, ask at the top of the meeting whether they would like you to present it or would prefer to read through it and then discuss it.

Find out how much data visualization they prefer. Charts, graphs, photos, and illustrations often communicate complex data more clearly than words alone. When execs can see what you’re saying, they often can better understand the impact of your idea. Does the exec want to understand exact numbers? Bar charts allow them to move their eyes across a series of specifics. Does the exec want to know the shape of a trend over time? Line charts can show the pattern. (See “Classic Charts Communicate Data Quickly.”) Some prefer charts with annotations that draw attention to what you think is the most important point. Others want to make their own conclusions from the data.

One of my clients, the CEO of a massive commercial real estate company, doesn’t want anything visualized. He prefers numbers, only in a table, and only in two colors — black and red. You might think this is archaic. But the fact that he’s clear to his teams about what he wants takes all the mystery out of how to communicate with him.

When the stakes are high, have a conceptual thinker help with diagrams and concepts. If you don’t have one on your team, and when it’s high stakes, find an internal designer to help you or hire one. You can’t afford to have the baby (your idea) thrown out with the bathwater (terrible slides).

Identify which details need spelling out. How well do the people you’re presenting to know the landscape and function of the company and products you’re talking about? For example, if your engineering team threw a slide into a deck about an issue that requires executive approval, do the execs all speak geek? Or do you need to explain the technology so that they will really understand the ask? Either eliminate internal jargon and acronyms or unpack those bits, especially if your proposal deeply involves expertise outside of the executives’ domain.

Ask whether appendices will be useful. When you’re organizing a presentation, you often troll data, read through complicated reports, and even hire external experts to figure out what’s best for the company. Do your execs want access to that supporting data? You can add a document to the end of the presentation as an appendix to show all of the data and source material. This allows the main content of the slides to remain focused and accessible while still providing comprehensive background information for those who want more.

Two Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills

Getting materials in place is the biggest step. They will be your best tools for selling your ideas. But there are two extra areas to pay attention to as a presenter: how you handle questions and how you use every experience to improve.

Anticipate questions, and practice your answers. Before you have your meeting, gather a small team to challenge every point you make. Invite colleagues you trust to role-play as “a rapidly inquisitive exec” or “the doubting naysayer exec” so you are prepared to present your idea well. They’re gonna grill you, and practicing will help you remain unruffled when it happens.

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Ask for feedback after the presentation. Establish a feedback loop with those you presented to. Ask what worked well and how you can improve. If attendees don’t have the time, find people who have had their ideas funded and talk to them about what they did that worked. Advice and some perspective will help you nail your performance even better next time.

Empathetically understanding your audience members and how they process information, whether it’s executives or peers, sets up your ideas for success. Clarity creates efficiency. When a presentation fits just right, you’ve given your great thinking the best chance of moving through your organization and having maximum impact.

About the Author

Nancy Duarte is CEO of Duarte Inc. , a communication company in the Silicon Valley. She’s the author of six books, including DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story (Ideapress Publishing, 2019).

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Presentation Skills

Strong presentation skills have always been important in leadership roles, but now more than ever, they are critical to career success.  You’ve sat through hundreds of boring, flat PowerPoint presentations. Are the people giving those lackluster presentations the ones with blazing hot careers? The business world today is more competitive than ever, and it is no longer enough to simply have the skills to do your job effectively.  The ability to say what you want, to whom you want is a vital skill set. Leadership Coaching & Consulting can help you develop the skills to do more than just deliver information.

We can teach to connect with your audience so they can absorb your message.  You will learn not only to educate, motivate, and influence, but you will also learn to move your audience into action.

Presentation Skills Development Program

Our Presentation Skills Development Program is a unique in that it is delivered over a period of time.  It incorporates several learning modes to ensure that skills are effectively developed. Note that this is called a “Skills Development Program”.   This is not a one-time training class that overwhelms participants with two days worth of new information, then leaves them to fend for themselves. It begins with a Communication Style Assessment using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® and an interactive workshop on Creating and Delivering Effective Presentations.  The workshop is followed up with one-on-one coaching sessions and several opportunities to create and practice delivering presentations.

Each practice run is video-recorded and followed up with an instructor led peer review. During the presentation skills development program, we create a challenging, yet supportive environment in which participants:

• Experience interactive training and discussions
• Have multiple practice opportunities
• Receive individual coaching
• Engage in powerful exercises throughout the course
• Receive feedback from instructors, coaches, and peers
• Are given digital video-recordings of each practice session

Participants learn to:

• Create and deliver engaging and powerful presentations
• Overcome nervousness
• Demonstrate confidence
• Manage their body language and eye contact
• Connect with their audience and adjust their presentation as needed
• Use humor and stories to keep their audience engaged
• Use variety in their style to impact different types of learners
• Facilitate Q&A sessions
• Incorporate the use of visual aids

Presentation Skills Coaching

For those who want to develop their speaking skills in a one-on-one setting, Leadership Coaching & Consulting also offers Presentation Skills Individual Coaching. Individual Coaching begins with a Communication Style Assessment using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® and a practice presentation to assess your skill level.

You will receive honest, constructive feedback, and we will work together to create a plan for your success.  We then begin to execute that plan in a safe, one-on-one environment. Everyone is unique, therefore, Individual Coaching Sessions are tailored specifically to address your individual needs.  We work with your individual strengths and personality to create a presentation style that is natural and authentic.

You will learn to:

• Create and deliver engaging and powerful presentation.
• Minimize nervousness
• Show confidence
• Use body language and eye contact
• Connect with your audience and adjust your presentation as needed.
• Use humor and stories to keep your audience engaged
• Vary your style to impact different types of learners
• Facilitate Q&A sessions

Event Preparation for Speakers

In addition to our Presentation Skills Program, and Presentation Skills Individual Coaching, we offer Event Preparation Support for Speakers.

Whether you are preparing to deliver a keynote address or to present at a sales or board meeting, we offer personalized individual support in preparing for the event. We can work with you to create your presentation from the ground-up.  Or we can take your existing presentation, review it, and make it better.

Not only will we work with you on content, but on structure, style, visual aids, and delivery. Your presentation leaves an impression – either a good one or a bad one.  And you don’t get a second chance if the impression is not a good one.

Equine Guided Coaching