Why your team needs presentation skills (it's not what you think)
Most L&D budgets focus on technical skills, leadership development, or compliance training. Presentation skills are often seen as a ‘nice-to-have’ for senior leaders or management.
But here's what we've learned from working with hundreds of UK organisations: presentation skills might be the most undervalued capability in your business.
The hidden productivity drain
Poor communication costs companies more than most people realise. When your technical expert can't explain a solution clearly to stakeholders, projects stall. When managers struggle to give effective briefings, teams work with incomplete information. When good ideas get lost in rambling explanations, innovation suffers.
Much of this isn't about formal presentations – it's about the everyday moments when clear communication would have prevented confusion, delays, or mistakes.
Redefining presentation skills
Forget the traditional image of someone behind a podium with slides. Modern presentation skills are about:
Structuring information so it's easy to follow and act upon
Adapting your communication style to different audiences and contexts
Building engagement and buy-in, whether you're speaking to 2 people or 20
Managing nerves and projecting confidence in high-stakes conversations
Using storytelling and examples to make complex topics accessible
These capabilities show up constantly: team briefings, client meetings, training sessions, project updates, performance conversations, and change management communications.
The business case is compelling
Organisations that invest in communication skills training see measurable returns:
Faster decision-making because information is presented more clearly and persuasively.
Improved change adoption because leaders can communicate vision and rationale effectively.
Stronger client relationships because technical expertise translates into client value.
Better internal collaboration because cross-functional teams can explain their work to each other.
Enhanced employee engagement because managers can communicate expectations, feedback, and recognition more effectively.
The career impact for individuals
From an employee development perspective, presentation skills are career accelerators. They're consistently ranked among the most important skills for leadership advancement.
But they're also confidence builders. Employees who feel comfortable communicating their ideas are more likely to contribute in meetings, volunteer for challenging projects, and take on leadership responsibilities.
For technical professionals especially, these skills can be transformational. The ability to translate complex concepts for non-technical audiences often determines who gets promoted into senior roles.
Making the training practical
The key is focusing on real scenarios rather than theoretical frameworks. Your people don't need to learn how to give keynote speeches – they need to handle the situations they face every week.
Training should cover:
Structuring explanations and updates
Reading audience reactions and adjusting accordingly
Managing presentation anxiety in everyday situations
Using visual aids and examples effectively
Handling questions and challenges confidently
Most importantly, it should give people immediate tools they can apply in their current roles, not skills they'll use "someday" when they're more senior.
The ROI is measurable
The best part is, the impact of presentation skills development is relatively easy to track:
Reduced meeting times due to clearer communication
Faster project approvals and stakeholder buy-in
Improved client satisfaction scores
Increased internal mobility and promotion rates
Better feedback scores on change management initiatives
Worth the investment
If you're building your L&D calendar for the year ahead, presentation skills training offers one of the strongest returns on investment. It's applicable across all roles and departments, delivers immediate practical benefits, and builds long-term career capabilities.
The question isn't whether your people need better presentation skills – it's whether you can afford not to develop them.
Our Presentation Skills training focuses on real workplace scenarios, not abstract theory - find out more here!
