There are moments where people take their presentation skills to the next level.
Sometimes, it’s because the stakes have gone WAY up. If you get promoted to team lead, and you’re scheduled to present to the CEO in two weeks, that’s an opportunity you want to crush.
More often, it’s because you are in psychological or spiritual pain of some kind.
That’s when you decide to really speak your truth. When you let go of old habvits that don’t serve you anymore. When your voice becomes more confident simply because you feel like you just don’t have that much to lose.
In my experience, many elite technical experts are experiencing both of these realities. They are positioned to take advantage of tremendous opportunities because their skills are in demand. However, their ability to generate original ideas is greater than their ability to communicate those ideas effectively.
The result is a feeling of power and powerlessness at the same time. The power to understand and invent; the powerlessness to persuade and influence.
The real price of excellence is loneliness. There are just fewer people who can understand what you do and why you do it. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to present your ideas so people will listen. You’ll feel better, and you’ll make a much bigger impact.