I’ve just read some startling research in Nancy Duarte’s “Resonate”.
According to a study by Distinction, over 86% of executives surveyed, said that communicating clearly impacts their careers, yet only 25% put more than 2 hours into prepping for ‘very high stakes’ presentations.
I dread to think what preparation the 75% put in to a ‘moderate stakes’ communication!
Businesses today are inundated with information and communication. So much so that employee satisfaction surveys will always categorise ‘communication’ in the top three improvement areas. So in view of the impact on both career and employee satisfaction, what’s stopping business leaders investing time in creating communications that are clear, engaging and create action? What’s your view?
Steve, I think this is a good call. For me, this issue of preparation extends to important meetings as well as presentations. In business we are always presenting ourselves, every time we engage with others.
A coaching client I worked with recently shared some feedback she received about how she comes across particularly well in a senior meeting she is called on to attend. When we explored the reasons why, one of them is that she takes more time to prepare for these particular meetings – both in terms of the content and how she presents herself. Clearly it’s working for her.
It’s a great shame that the culture in some organisations seems to favour an approach of ‘winging it’. Often, some thoughtful time spent preparing not only gets better results, but also shows the leader in a more favourable light and contributes to their increased credibility.
It’s a great point you make Helen about increased credibility. Many leaders I work with are focussing only upon the shorter term results of their presentation or meeting contribution and failing to recognise the indirect benefits of credibility, trust and respect to be gained from a little forethought.
I guess that much of the ‘winging it’ will be byproduct of the general busy-ness of professional life and an over reliance upon individual ‘expertise’ gained from experience in the role. The great shame for me is the transformational effect so many leaders are missing out on by not taking a few minutes to consider their audience and their outcomes…if only…