Stories to Tell

There is a personal story-telling aspect to your presentation if you’re being true to your topic and true to yourself. If your topic doesn’t mean enough to you, it will show. It will be evident in your facial expressions or lack thereof, and in how you move or how you don’t move. Your audience will hear it in your tone of voice. No matter how well-prepared you may be, your presentation will be missing the two elements that will make it outstanding – authenticity and vulnerability.

You might wonder how you can be vulnerable talking about selling widgets or gizmos. You might be right. If you aren’t fully invested in the products, you won’t interest anyone else in them. But someone who cares about those widgets – or, at least, has some meaningful reason to need to interest others in them – can make selling widgets a transformational topic.

I once encountered a salesperson who may have had one of the toughest products to sell. He briskly walked into my office and boldly declared with good energy that he had lightbulbs for sale. I could tell by his manner of dress that he was not well-to-do. He was old-school and professional. He smiled and offered to open his case resembling a vintage suitcase. The case was nicely appointed with various bulbs, each a little different from the others. I was compelled to look at the bulbs, which he proudly described. Had I any need for lightbulbs, I might have been convinced to buy from him. The man wasn’t just selling something. He was selling something of importance to him, which made his presence and presentation quite appealing.

I recall a TED Talk* of several years ago offered by a woman who knew she was dying. Replete with mixed emotion and displaying a sincere and authentic smile she explained that it was OK. Her vulnerability was incredibly engaging. She had the poise and presence of someone secure in her status and condition. Nothing about her presentation was manufactured. She was telling us that what she was experiencing – that what we all will experience at some time – will be OK. Mother, nurse, friend, counselor, a fellow human educating us, calming us, helping us to access our own vulnerability and embrace the reality before us.

I am thankful for the woman who I spoke with at a reception the other night for reminding me that we all have a story to tell. Some have many stories to tell.

Consider your life stories and how you want to tell them.

*TED Talks are informative presentations presented by experts and sponsored by the nonprofit TED organization. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design.

All articles in the Shanks For Speaking Blog copyright (c) Patricia Shanks 2025.

Reproduction or sharing in any form by express permission only.