The Presentation Paradox: Why Having the Tools Doesn't Make You an Effective Presenter
Mark Edwards
Researching and creating clear value-driven propositions & solutions for B2B tech providers
In today’s digital workplace, presentation software like PowerPoint is more accessible than ever. Virtually anyone can create sleek, professional-looking slides with a few clicks, and the rise of AI is helping generate even more polished content. Yet, while the tools for creating presentations are easy to access, the skills required to deliver them effectively seem to have fallen by the wayside.
This situation reminds me of an analogy: Everyone can own a pair of scissors, but not everyone can be a hairdresser. Simply having the tools doesn’t make someone capable of delivering a professional-level result. In the world of presentations, the same principle applies. PowerPoint or any slide deck software, no matter how intuitive or advanced, cannot replace the artistry and skill of a trained presenter.
Not so long ago, it was common practice to either hire a professional presenter or invest in serious training for employees to present effectively. The delivery was recognized as a craft that required focus, practice, and finesse. Today, with the ease of technology and the polished look of AI-generated slides, the assumption seems to be that anyone with access to the tools can give a good presentation.
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But here’s the reality: Great content is only part of the equation. The other part is communication—how ideas are conveyed, stories are told, and the audience is engaged. This requires skill, training, and often a lot of practice. Many well-designed presentations still fall flat because the person delivering them doesn’t know how to engage the audience, convey energy, or structure their message for impact.
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This brings us to the critical question for modern organizations: Do you invest in hiring a professional presenter, or do you equip your employees with the skills to be great presenters themselves? If the latter, training should not be optional—it’s essential. Without it, even the best slide deck will fail to make the impact it could.
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Just as no one would expect an amateur with scissors to cut hair professionally, we shouldn’t assume that a nice-looking slide deck will carry the day without a strong, well-prepared presenter at the helm. The technology we have today can enhance our message, but it can’t replace the human element that makes a presentation truly memorable. Investing in developing those skills should be as important as the tools themselves.
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Ultimately, presentations remain about people, not PowerPoint. Having access to the technology is only the beginning. What organizations need are confident, capable communicators who know how to harness that technology to deliver messages that resonate.
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Conclusion:
Whether you bring in professionals or commit to training your staff, it’s time to refocus on the missing link—presentation skills. It’s not about the tools; it’s about the people. Empower them, and the technology will follow.
Mark Edwards
Yes, I am a professional presenter and presentation coach. Get in touch if you get the point of this article.
B2B sales specialist. Author. Displaced Canadian. #nohoodwinkeryhere, #integrityisimportant
1 个月??. There are so many aspects that go into being a good presenter - starting with why you’re delivering the message. That’s where we start in our spoken skills communications training. Not until that’s clear so we move on to presence, energy, tonality etc. Marketing professionals and technical experts take note: a great presentation does not make a great presenter!
Enabling sales, channel, marketing and leadership success
1 个月Great food for thought, thank you Mark. Appropriate visuals are really important, and whatever technology or approach can help here, all good. Presentation skills are also really important, to ensure the visuals are supporting a compelling message that resonates with the audience and achieves the goal. However, the effectiveness of said visuals and said presenter is contingent on the context, preparation and setup with the customer. How well the presenter has understood their big picture, critical issues to solve, and how well they have navigated their formal and informal structures to set up the particular forum, agenda, who's needed and who's there on both sides, each stakeholder/participant's role to move towards agreed desired outcomes, what happens if these are achieved and what's the plan B.... I could go on! Suffice it to say, you can have the best visuals and be the best communicator in the world, but if you're the wrong person, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong stakeholders, none of that is going to get you anywhere. I could just possibly be on one of my favourite topics. Discuss! :-)
Telephony Specialist at Capita Local Public Services
1 个月There is no denying that AI is an exciting tool and probably one of the most important developments of our times. But we need to be careful that it does not become the Master. It should be there to assist and enhance the creative process. My hobby is songwriting. I have never had success but those tunes and lyrics reflect my feelings and my soul. How easy it would be to ask AI to write a love song. But AI has never loved. It has never cried or been happy. Similarly I am not Beethoven so my music is not the work of genius. But it represents a person who has learned and is learning. A piano in the room does not make us all pianists, but it enables us to become one if we choose. So yes, I can create a PowerPoint presentation to put a point across and based on presentation feedback I can make the next one better. I can aspire to get better and better. Having presented training many times I have had good and bad sessions, but each one taught me more . The next one I create will be better . AI can enhance what I have, but essentially my soul and personality must still be there and I must continue to polish my craft . It takes years of experience to develop the craft.The robot can help, but he is my assistant, not vice versa ??
Indeed! I also often think about confidence and being a confident presenter doesn’t necessarily make for a good presenter. I’ve noticed the same, Mark and there’s a lot to be said for reducing the polish a little too.