Why Persuasive Speaking Matters - 18.03.2009

As a business leader, there are some things beyond your control: stock prices, home values, and the future course of the economy. But you can control your ability to create and deliver presentations that inspire, excite, and persuade.

According to Bill Lane, former General Electric Chairman and CEO Jack Welch's speechwriter of 20 years, each of the 23 candidates to succeed Welch were “good to great presenters…you simply cannot get a job at this level if you can't stand up and teach, and persuade, excite and lead,” Lane wrote.

Here are three ideas that will help you hone your presentation skills according to Businessweek.com.

Be concise. Many presenters are under the mistaken impression that longer is better but a boring presentation is a wasted opportunity. The brain looks for emotional experiences. The quality of your presentation is far more important than the length. About 18 minutes is long enough to develop a point, but short enough to hold everyone's attention. Having limits forces speakers to focus on their stories and word choice.

Gain instant credibility. Now more than ever, your customers want to hear from someone who is transparent and humble – add some commentary on 'where we could have done better.' Optimism and positive success stories will leave your audience uplifted and eager to embrace your vision. But avoid raising skepticism and undermining your message.

Strive for simplicity. Welch hated jargon and transformed communications at GE by demanding straightforward language of himself, his speechwriter, and other leaders who gave presentations. The financial crisis has ushered in a new wave of confusion and buzzwords. Work to identify and remove all language from your presentations that your audience would need a dictionary to understand. What would Welch have made of your presentation?

Above all, remember that the ability to speak should not be confused with the ability to persuade.