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MARCH 2021 Download this Article
I have always believed that presentation skill is artificial if planned and cultivated. It gives contrary results if acquired. On the other hand, if the underlying emotions and knowledge are genuine, they are highly effective.
One measure of genuine emotions and knowledge lies with the speaker’s confidence. If the speaker is shivering, sweating or thirsty, then it must be understood that the underlying constitution is just not enough.
It is not the fear of the audience which make presenters nervous, rather the scare of failing to demonstrate knowledge.
Over the years, so-called 'professionals' have turned into emotionless workers—their work-life calls for a measured communication that is devoid of feelings and emotions.
In most cases, the professionals themselves do not believe in what they are presenting. They are just defending their job. Add to that. Companies highly discourage bringing emotions to work.
This results in mental conflict between the true self and the official self, which holds up their free-flowing expressions. No wonder our professionals are losing the power of expression, and there is no doubt, it is getting reflected in other areas of work too.
These days, we hear a lot from Black Lives Matter protesters. They are certainly not trained orators or learned linguists, but their words carry profound meaning.
They can communicate their message effectively. The kind of impact some of them have made on the wider public is amazingly historic.
They are not targeting persuasion. Instead, it is their heightened sensitivity and experiences of issues like Equality, Freedom, Unity etc., that has evoked passion.
Consequently, across the world, governments have moved into action against racial discrimination and removing symbols of slavery.
I have heard speakers at Xtinction Rebellion. Out of many speakers, easily one can figure out who is more effective, even though command on the language, pronunciations or body language was not exemplary.
It is highly probable that the speaker was a victim of climate change or was involved intensely with the cause.
Though it is vital to use the right word at the right place, I think it comes naturally if the underlying issue is felt genuinely.
Similarly, on those Oprah Winfrey shows and other social talk shows, many ordinary people made audiences cry.
Throughout the program, you can feel their pain and anguish, even though watching on TV screens, when their tears uncontrollably roll down, and words stream live with emotions.
They are real-world people with no presentation skills, but certainly, they were narrating the issues of their life. While watching them, millions across the world empathize with those emotions, messages, and causes.
Many governments have been persuaded to change laws based on those stories. So, in my opinion, it is the fire within which makes or breaks the presentation.
Martin Luther King and how he spoke about the “I Have a Dream” part of the speech.
Finally, I would share something about Mahatma Gandhi. Many of my Indian audience know him well, and ironically, these days, his life is under scanner in the same country where he belonged.
This is in sharp contrast to other countries across the world where he is revered and studied. Hence it becomes important to bring more facts about him when searching for the meaning of communicating and presenting.
As I am told, he was a poor speaker in classical definition. He was unable to speak ‘sa' and 'sh' distinctly.
There was no particular body language to emulate. In those times, there were no overhead projectors or tone managed microphones to support the presentation.
He spoke to the public while sitting, addressing reporters when walking, and many times communicated to the nation with silence. At times, his rhetoric also included deliberate speech fasting for days.
Interestingly, his words not only carried a deep sense of meaning, but people followed him both in letter and spirit. To date, leaders and ordinary citizens across the work spectrum emulate Gandhi.
As an example, the previous British Speaker in the house of commons, John Bercow, during Queen’s 90th birthday gathering at the Palace of Westminster, cited Gandhi thrice.
Worthwhile to note that it is the same Gandhi who was crucial to the British giving up their jewel in the crown, India. That is the power of true rhetoric, which can make a fan following within an adversary camp too. Credit also goes to John Bercow for his statesmanship.
Those C(X)Os taking the stage at large convention centres, speaking to employees and global audiences, seldom make sense. How many of them do we remember today? Just a few because they were the ones who communicated the right emotion at the time.
I am very sure those whom we remember do not fall in the category of classical presentation skills.
In the name of presentation skills, we teach artificial behaviour to our employees. This includes many parts of interaction that are against the human grain operating in the natural environment.
Instead the learning should be taken from those street kids across the developing world who have no formal training in presentation skills.
With just a few short sentences, even in a foreign language, they still communicate and convince buyers. We all have experienced this.
Accordingly, “Presentation Skill” is neither presentation nor skill. It is a deep feeling communicated naturally by the presenter.
So, in short, why waste our valuable time?
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