Presentation and Public Speaking News

• Timeless Presenter

My colleague Phil Waknell is an outstanding speaker – and a presentation coach himself. He’s helped thousands of leaders deliver powerful talks. And yet, before his TEDx Talk, he worked with a coach. That talk has now been viewed more than a million times. To grow as a speaker, you need skill – but you also need humility. I often meet people who say they want to improve but, deep down, believe they’ve already figured it out. I’ve been there myself. We all have moments where we think we know best.

• Timeless Presenter

I was chatting with a friend about how to make data easier to understand. He gave me a brilliant example: People struggle to grasp the scale of large numbers – like the difference between £1 million and £1 billion. His advice? Use time instead of money: 1 million seconds is about eleven days 1 billion seconds is over thirty years That lands differently. When we present data, the numbers alone aren’t enough. The key is context. The audience needs a frame of reference.

• Timeless Presenter

People often talk about being “authentic” when they present. But that word can get in the way. A musician might resist changing their grip because it feels strange. A footballer might avoid adjusting their technique because it’s uncomfortable at first. But that’s how learning works – what feels awkward now often leads to better results later. Speaking is the same. Authenticity isn’t a fixed state. It grows as you grow. It means showing up with honesty, even as you try new things, make mistakes and adjust along the way.

• Timeless Presenter

They care about what those skills deliver. Your presentation skills aren’t the point. Audiences don’t show up to admire you. They want clarity and insight they can use. Presenting is just a tool. Timeless Presenter, my new book on the principles of communication that never expire, will be released soon. If you’d like to be notified when it’s out, you can join the early access list here.

• Timeless Presenter

A client once asked me, “What’s the most advanced presentation skills course you offer?” I told them the truth: “The most advanced thing you can do isn’t a course. It’s practice.” Techniques matter. So does structure. Delivery, storytelling, visuals – they all help. But what separates someone who knows how to present from someone who actually presents well is this: practice. Too many people collect tips but never apply them. They attend training, take notes and then move on. But presenting is a performance skill.

• Timeless Presenter

At a conference a few years ago, an HR manager told me, “My team has to sit through internal presentations every month. Most of them don’t want to be there.” Then she asked, “What should presenters do when the audience has no choice?” It’s a good question. Here’s my answer: Start by asking yourself why they should care. If you can’t find a clear reason why your message matters to them, maybe they have a point.

• Timeless Presenter

AI can write faster than you. Draft slides in seconds. Polish language on demand. When machines can generate so much, it’s easy to wonder why improving at anything still counts. But that reaction misses the point. When everything becomes easy to produce, what becomes rare is care. Machines are good at output. They’re not good at meaning. They don’t feel the tension in a room. They don’t notice when a sentence doesn’t land and adjust accordingly. They don’t take responsibility for how words affect people.

• Timeless Presenter

Early in her career, Agatha Christie didn’t see herself as a writer. She wrote stories while working as a nurse. Her first novel was rejected over and over. But she kept writing. Book after book, she found her voice. Public speaking works the same way. I often hear people say, “I’m not a public speaker,” as if it’s a special title handed out at some invitation-only ceremony – robes, handshakes, the works.