It’s easy to compartmentalize presentation success. Everyone knows Steve Jobs is a presentation master, but haven’t you ever wondered how well he’d do if tasked with detailing the latest security protocol to employees in Cupertino? I mean, to a certain extent, don’t we all think we’d get a few applause unveiling the iPad no matter what we did or said? How can he go wrong?
We do the same with the success/motivational speaker types–Tony Robbins is the perfect example. These are people that are fundamentally likable, and whether said status is the result of genetic fortune or hard work, the reality is that these guys have been promoted nearly every year of their lives. People beg to give them more money to say what’s on their mind. Can you imagine? Of course Robbins is confident from the stage.
But then we have to ask: which came first, the chicken or the egg? Is confidence promoted, or do the promoted become confident. At the end of the day, I think we have to make the choice based on what makes us better: if we assume Robbins was just a lucky and charismatic guy, then we have a convenient excuse for being less than the best. If, however, we accept that Robbins’ legendary status was the result of earnest hard work as he tried to impact more and more people, then we must in turn face the reality that we can achieve much, much more.
Tony Robbins is a great storyteller. But it’s not storytelling the way your Appalachian uncle tells them–again, that sort of inbred talent can’t be replicated. It’s storytelling that takes practice, study, and effort. Likewise, he is certainly a confident presence on stage, but it’s confidence that stems from sincerity: audience members know he wants to help. And then there’s the conversational style: he’s not reading a script; he’s engaging with the audience on a very personal level, and that takes practice.
No one is born great. Some people are more comfortable on stage than others, but to be great you have to be more than eloquent; you must be sincere, you must be engaging, you must be humble, and you must be natural. Take a moment to watch Tony Robbins speak. There are plenty of YouTube videos available. The first step to becoming a great presenter is learning what a great presenter does. Robbins is a great guy to start with.
Question: Who are your presentation “role models”?
