My Personal Leadership Journey and How It Changed My Presentation Skills
As a professional, I always strive to be a better leader, communicator, and presenter. Over the years, my leadership journey has taken me through various challenges, experiences, and opportunities that have helped me develop my skills and sharpen my abilities. One of the most significant changes I experienced in my journey was the improvement of my presentation skills, which has been essential in my professional life. In this article, I will share my personal leadership journey and how it changed my presentation skills, including the lessons I have learned along the way.
The Beginning of My Leadership Journey
My leadership journey started in my early career as a project manager. At that time, I was excited about the new role but quickly realized that leading a team and delivering projects successfully was not an easy task. I struggled with managing my team, dealing with conflicts and keeping everyone on the same page. One of the challenges I faced was presenting my ideas or plans to my team or stakeholders. I found it hard to articulate my thoughts clearly and convey my message effectively. As a result, my presentations were often confusing, unorganized and lacked focus, which led to poor outcomes and misunderstandings.
The Turning Point
The turning point in my leadership and presentation skills development came when I enrolled in a leadership program. The program was intensive, and it challenged me to become a better leader, communicator, and public speaker. I learned valuable skills, such as managing conflicts, delegating tasks, setting goals, and engaging my team members. However, the most significant impact came from the public speaking and presentation courses. I had to undergo several training sessions, workshops, and practice sessions that helped me develop my presentation skills. I learned how to create a more structured, engaging, and persuasive presentation, including using stories, metaphors and analogies to illustrate my points. I also learned how to use visual aids, such as slides or videos, effectively to support my presentations. These skills helped me become more confident and polished in my presentations and had a positive impact on my leadership skills overall.
Lessons Learned
Through my leadership journey, I have learned some valuable lessons that have helped me improve my presentation skills and become a better leader. First, I learned that preparation is key. Good presentations require careful planning, research, and rehearsal. I learned to set clear goals, define my message, and adapt my communication style to my audience. I also learned to practice my presentations several times to identify areas that needed improvement and work on my stage presence and body language.
Another crucial lesson I learned was to seek feedback. Asking for feedback from my colleagues or mentors helped me to identify areas of improvement, such as my speaking speed, gestures, or tone. I learned to take constructive feedback positively and use it to improve my skills.
Lastly, I learned to be authentic and natural in my presentations. Instead of trying to be someone I am not, I learned to embrace my personality, strengths, and weaknesses and use them to connect with my audience. I also learned to incorporate humor or personal anecdotes to make my presentations more engaging and relatable.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my leadership journey has been transformational in developing my presentation skills. Through my experiences, training, and lessons learned, I have improved from a hesitant and unpolished presenter to a confident and engaging public speaker. As I continue to grow and learn as a leader, I will continuously work on improving my presentation skills and be a positive influence on my team. I hope my story will inspire other professionals to embrace their leadership journey, improve their presentation skills and become better communicators and leaders.
