Why Presentations Fail to Build Trust

She explained it a third time. I watched the room's energy shift. The more she justified, the less they believed. Behavioral expert Chase Hughes nailed it: "The person who explains the most, has the least power in the room." After 25+ years in countless high-stakes, c-suite level meetings in financial services, I've seen this credibility leak destroy executive presence, and ultimately careers. Not dramatically. Quietly. One over-explanation at a time. I once watched a Senior MD present a restructuring plan for a $900M division. Simple. Clean. Bulletproof. Then someone asked, "Why this approach?" Reasonable question. Unreasonable answer length. She spent 20 minutes defending what needed 20 seconds. By minute 10, she lost the room. By minute 20, she lost the deal. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆: 1️⃣ 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲. 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. When you over-explain, you signal doubt. State your case. Let it breathe. 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘄𝗸𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. After you make your point, stop talking. Let others fill the space. 3️⃣ 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Sometimes they are tests of confidence. Answer the real question: "Do you believe in this?" Not with words. With presence. 4️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗽𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: "𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻." Full stop. No "because ...". No "let me explain why." Just confidence backed by competence. 5️⃣ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Results speak louder than reasons. Let your work defend your decisions. One client mastered this shift. Board presentation. Mid-cap acquisition. The Audit Chair challenged the valuation. Old her: 15-minute word salad defense. New her: "The model reflects our analysis. I can walk through the key drivers now or send the sensitivities after this meeting, your call." Deal approved. Power maintained. The paradox? The less you explain, the more they trust. Confidence does not need a long essay. Your executive presence is not measured by how well you justify. It is measured by how little you need to. 💭 When was the last time you said too much in an effort to explain your point of view, decision or action?  What did it cost you? What will you do differently going forward? ------ ♻️ Share with that brilliant executive who undercuts their authority by over-explaining ➕ Follow Courtney Intersimone for more truth about commanding executive presence

Your audience doesn't want your perfection. They're secretly begging for your vulnerability. (The truth about human connection nobody talks about) For years, I believed the opposite. I thought my job as a speaker was to: → Hide my struggles → Project complete confidence → Show that I'm perfect in every sense (which I'm not) Then one speech changed everything. Speaking to 40+ strangers, I forgot the script. I got lost... completely Forced to speak from raw experience, I shared my journey as an introvert from Pakistan who once couldn't say his own name without stuttering. The result? Standing ovation. Deeper connection. People reached out to tell they loved it. The research confirms what I stumbled upon: Audiences trust speakers who reveal strategic vulnerability far more than those who appear flawless. The truth about speaking impact: 1/ Perfect speakers create DISTANCE When you never show weakness: → You become unreachable → You trigger the audience's insecurities → You build walls instead of bridges The human brain is wired to distrust perfection. 2/ Strategic vulnerability creates TRUST Not random oversharing, but calculated openness: → Share struggles relevant to your message → Reveal your journey, not just your arrival → Connect your vulnerability to their challenges 3/ Your story unlocks THEIR story When you share your vulnerability: → You give permission for others to acknowledge theirs → You create a "me too" moment of recognition → You transform from lecturer to trusted guide Remember: Your audience doesn't want to be impressed. They want to be understood. 4/ The vulnerability sweet spot → Share challenges you've overcome (not current crises) → Connect vulnerability to valuable lessons → Maintain competence while showing humanity When I coach executive leaders, this shift changes everything: From "I must be perfect" to "I must be authentic." From "What will they think of me?" to "How can I serve them?" ♻ REPOST to help your network embrace imperfection. 📌 What's one authentic story you've been afraid to share that might actually build deeper connection with your audience?

In which of these 2 scenarios, will a sales rep sell more blenders? a) She nails the demo, flawlessly blending a smoothie in front of potential customers b) Same exact pitch, but when she pours the smoothie, she spills it all over the table Dr. Richard Wiseman conducted this exact study. More people bought the blender when she made an absolute mess. This phenomenon is called the "other shoe effect." The underlying principle: We instinctively know people aren’t perfect. So when someone appears too polished in high-stakes moments—job interviews, pitches, first dates—part of our brain asks: “What are they hiding? When does the other shoe drop?” The longer someone appears flawless, the more suspicious we get. This creates a dangerous cycle: • You try to appear perfect in the first impression • The other person's brain gets increasingly distracted wondering about your hidden flaws • When your imperfection finally shows (and it will), it hits much harder than if you'd acknowledged it upfront I learned this the hard way. When I first wrote Captivate, I tried to sound like an academic. My editor called it out: “This doesn’t sound like you.” So I rewrote the intro to be me, very me in a vulnerable way: “Hi, I’m Vanessa. I’m a recovering awkward person.” That vulnerability built instant trust. By dropping my shoe early, I built trust immediately and let readers know they were in good company. This is also how I introduce myself in conversations, and I have noticed everyone laughs and relaxes when I say it. There are a couple situations where you can actively use this effect: • Job interviews: After sharing your strengths, say "One area I’m still growing in is public speaking—which is why this role excites me." • Investor pitches: After a strong open, confess: "One challenge we’re still working through is [X], and here’s how we’re tackling it." • Team meetings: Proactively raise project risks, then offer a solution. Don’t let others discover it first. Rules to remember: • Choose authentic vulnerabilities, not fake ones • Drop your shoe AFTER establishing competence, not before • Pair vulnerability with accountability - show how you're addressing it Remember: The goal isn't to appear perfect. It's to appear trustworthy. And trustworthy people acknowledge their imperfections before others have to discover them.

Trust isn’t built through perfection. It’s built through authenticity, vulnerability, and humility. In the best teams, people don’t need to have all the answers. They need to show up honestly, ask good questions, and stay open to learning. That kind of culture only works when leaders model it from the top. When they don’t, it creates distance. People start managing impressions instead of solving problems. Energy gets spent on appearances instead of outcomes. I once worked for a boss who really wanted to be a great leader, but never quite showed up fully. He said all the right things about collaboration, strategy, and innovation, but there was always a filter. Something about him felt slick. I remember inviting him to an offsite about our product roadmap. It was an early-stage, messy kind of conversation: technical debates, half-formed ideas, back-and-forth about what might work. Inviting him was a bit of a risk, given what I’d observed. He sat in, but you could tell he was uncomfortable. He wasn’t used to that level of transparency. He was used to polished slides and confident answers, not the raw process of figuring things out together or dealing with uncertainty. That moment stuck with me. I realized he maintained trust by appearing right and in control. He saw our openness to uncertainty as a weakness, when in reality, it was how we built great products and strong teams. That’s when it clicked: I couldn’t work for someone who equated vulnerability with incompetence. Real trust requires showing up as a human. And if you can’t do that, no amount of talk will prove you are qualified.

After 3,000 hours of partnering leaders from nearly 40 countries to lead change… one truth stands out. In influence and persuasion, it isn't what you said but what they heard. I see these all the time. ✔️ From: “I think I nailed that townhall.” ❌ To: “…Wait... how did half my team misunderstand the same thing?” This post is about the hard truths of communication and influence. I’ve seen leaders—brilliant, capable ones—make these mistakes far too often. If you are leading people through disruption, I hope you’ll read this through. 1.⁠ ⁠Talking more doesn’t mean you’re being effective. Yes, there’s research that says people who talk more are perceived as more “leader-like.” But appearing like a leader isn’t the same as being one. 🔴 People don’t need a flood of words. 🟢 They need actionable clarity. 2.⁠ ⁠Poorly delivered feedback crushes spirits. “You always…” “I can never rely on you…” 🔴 Stop labelling and making mistakes sound permanent. 🟢 Show people what to improve and how. 3.⁠ ⁠Be audience-centric The purpose of communication is to connect. 🔴 Stop your monologue aka what you wanna tell them. 🟢 Tailor your message aka what they need to hear. P.S. You need to hone your observation skills. 4.⁠ ⁠Articulate your empathy. Most people are empathetic. The way they speak doesn't sound empathetic at all. 🔴 Not: “I understand… but…” That “but” cancels everything before it. 🟢 "I understand, and... (put yourself in their shoes)... Stop "but-kicking" people with your 'buts." 5.⁠ ⁠Name the elephant (it's huge, by the way) People don't care about the faraway vision when they're in pain every day. 🔴 Stop ignoring the real challenges on the ground. 🟢 Win trust when you have the guts to name the reality. 6.⁠ ⁠Vulnerability builds trust. Especially when leading change, all the more you gotta show you're human, like everybody else! 🔴 Don't be a superhero and a know-it-all. 🟢 Normalise learning and figuring things out together. P.S. But you don't need to have a meltdown on stage. 7.⁠ ⁠Vital info delivered too late kills trust. 🔴 Don't let people find bad news through the grapevine or pantry gossip. 🟢 Timely communication is respect. If they can’t trust you to share news that concerns them, what can they trust you for? *** Leaders ask me all the time why, as trustworthy people, they struggle to influence. Being a trustworthy person isn't the same as building trust. Poor communication is often the culprit. It's vital that you elevate your communication – especially when pressure is high, the audience is diverse, and change is the only constant. That’s why I created my Executive Presence for Trust and Influence program... ... so you can communicate with clarity, earn trust faster, and lead with less resistance. (Be sure to join the waitlist!) Now I’m curious— Which one resonated with you most? And what would you add as number 8? Let’s talk.

"I don't trust a single word they say." Chances are, you had an IMMEDIATE picture of someone in your mind as you read that. It's someone who, as soon as they open their mouth, you roll your eyes, shake your head, and tune out. But you don't have to tell outright lies to be seen as an untrustworthy person. Building or eroding trust is much subtler that that. It happens in the micro-moments. The way someone drops casual exaggerations as if they're facts. The colleague who always has a perfectly reasonable explanation for why their deliverable is late -- and it's ALWAYS late. The manager who can never seem to honor their commitment to your 1:1's, leaving you confused about whether or not you're really a priority for them. Trust isn't just about bold-faced lies. It's built or chipped away through countless small interactions and communications that either reinforce or undermine our credibility. Like what? The confidence-competence gap: Nothing destroys trust faster than someone who speaks with absolute certainty about things they clearly Googled five minutes ago. Selective memory syndrome: Amazing how some people remember every detail when it makes them look good but develop sudden amnesia when accountability shows up. Promise inflation: The enthusiastic over-committers who say yes to everything and then act genuinely surprised when people expect them to deliver actual results. In contrast, here are the micro-moments that matter: When you say "I don't know" instead of winging it through an answer you're not sure about. Following up on that casual "let me check on that for you" comment, even when the person probably forgot they asked. Admitting when you're wrong before someone has to point it out. It stings, but it's like ripping off a band-aid: quick pain, long-term gain. Being the same version of yourself whether you're talking to the CEO or the intern. People notice when your personality shifts based on who's in the room. Actually listening when someone's talking instead of just waiting for your turn to speak. (Yes, this counts as trust-building. No, it's not as easy as it sounds. I literally went to school to learn this.) Saying "I made a mistake" instead of "mistakes were made." The passive voice is where accountability goes to die. Showing up early to your own meetings. If you can't be on time for something you scheduled, what does that say about everything else? Every time you open your mouth, you're either building trust or eroding it, whether you know it or not. There's no neutral ground in the trust game; every interaction is either a deposit or a withdrawal from your credibility account. Your words and actions aren't just conveying information. They're constantly answering the question: "Can this person be trusted?" The answer you give, intentionally or not, determines everything that comes after. #trust #leadership #relationships

What if your audience isn’t doubting your message… but doubting you? Too many people believe that being a great speaker is about being perfectly polished. But we’ve all seen that speaker—the one with the flawless voice, the exaggerated smile, and rehearsed body language. And let’s be honest… we don’t believe them. When your delivery doesn’t match your passion, experience, or message, it creates an incongruence that people can feel. And that feeling? It destroys trust. True influence isn’t about perfection—it’s about congruency. 🔹 What Happens When You Force Polish? When someone’s delivery doesn’t match their natural excitement, passion, or expertise, it creates an incongruence that we can all feel. We don’t trust it because it’s missing authenticity. 🔹 How Do You Build Authentic Influence? Great speakers don’t just learn techniques—they learn self-awareness. That’s why training under controlled stress environments is key. The more comfortable you become in discomfort, the more naturally congruent you will be on stage. One simple yet powerful tool we teach is the Play Button. ✔ Step forward when making a key point → This movement signals confidence and engagement. ✔ Avoid static presence → Motion triggers novelty, releasing dopamine, which keeps your audience focused. ✔ Align movement with your words → This subconsciously reinforces trust in your message. Here’s the truth: Some people fully believe in their message but lack confidence in themselves. And when that happens, the audience assumes the issue is with the message itself. In this video, you’ll see @briancovey—one of the most effective leaders I’ve ever worked with—put this into action. A former pro soccer player turned multi-billion dollar business leader, Brian is a master at continual growth and leadership. Your takeaway? Influence isn’t about being polished. It’s about being aligned—inside and out. Tag a speaker or leader who needs to hear this.👇 #Leadership #Influence #PublicSpeaking #Authenticity #BodyLanguage #AmplifyYourInfluence

Most presentations don't fail because of bad slides. They fail because no one feels a connection. They look like lectures. While the best presentations feel like stories. And stories aren’t just entertaining. They’re how humans connect, trust, and remember. Here’s how to make your next presentation unforgettable: 1️⃣ Introduce the Villain ↠ Start with the problem you’re solving ↠ Be specific—what pain points does your audience face? ↠ When they feel the problem, they’ll lean in 2️⃣ Position Your Solution as the Hero ↠ Show how your solution saves the day ↠ Make it aspirational, not just functional ↠ Think: “This could change everything for you.” 3️⃣ Add Personal Touches ↠ Share your “aha” moment: how did you solve this? ↠ Vulnerability creates trust ↠ Your story becomes theirs 4️⃣ Use the Power of Three ↠ People love patterns ↠ Give them three parts: ↠ The challenge, the breakthrough, the transformation 5️⃣ Create a Visual Journey ↠ Your slides should feel like a movie, not a spreadsheet ↠ Bold visuals + concise words = memorable ↠ The simpler, the better 6️⃣ End With a Mic Drop ↠ Leave them with ONE unforgettable message ↠ Tie it back to their pain—and what they can do next ↠ A powerful ending moves people to act 7️⃣ Rehearse Until It Feels Natural ↠ Practice your story—not your slides ↠ Your authenticity is your superpower ↠ The more natural you feel, the more they’ll believe you Great presentations don’t just share information. They spark emotion. Build trust. Inspire action. What strategy resonates most with you? ♻️ Share this to inspire someone to tell their best story and follow Andrea Petrone for more. ---------------- 📌 Want more? Grab your FREE template to create presentations that captivate every audience: https://lnkd.in/evgSDXEX

Your team's presentations aren't failing because of PowerPoint. I've trained hundreds of professionals, and I keep seeing the same mistakes: → No clear structure (audiences get lost in 30 seconds) → Misusing corporate templates (most are built wrong anyway) → Data dumps without stories (numbers don't persuade, narratives do) → Zero formal training (we expect presentation skills by osmosis?) The cost? 68% of people have switched to competitors due to poor business communication. But here's the thing—this is completely fixable. When teams get proper training in structure, storytelling, and design, their presentations don't just inform—they persuade and drive action. Stop blaming the tool. Start building the skills. 👆 Full breakdown in my latest article. What's the worst presentation mistake you've seen? Drop it below 👇 #PresentationSkills #BusinessCommunication #Leadership #LIPostingDayMay