Introduction

In this eBook, we’ll discuss the communications skills needed to share your vision and ignite passionate followers. I call this 3V Impact: the messages your Visual, Verbal, and Vocal images convey when you communicate.

As the saying goes, your brain starts working the minute you’re born, and it never stops working until you stand up to speak. Similarly, you might have heard the following statistic: According to The Book of Lists, speaking is the number one fear, beating out heights, insects, financial problems, deep water, illness, and even death. Does this mean that most people would rather die than give a presentation? I suspect not, but by its very nature, death is a once in a lifetime ordeal, which makes it easy to push down the list. However, every leader must eventually grapple with public
speaking and the nervousness that comes with communicating ideas to other people.

Some of you haven’t given a lot of presentations, and others could be writing this eBook. I’m a professional speaker, which means I get paid to give speeches and training seminars. I’ve presented an average of eighty to one hundred presentations per year for nearly twenty years, and I believe I have some ideas to share with you. I’m not here, however, to help you become a professional speaker. I’m here to help you communicate with people in a way that helps others see your vision, capitalize on your strengths, and become the very best you can be in your particular role.

As a leader, when do you make presentations? I would suggest to you that the answer is “always.” What we’ll discuss here will help you not only in your formal presentations, but also the informal ones.