The 20 Habits of Truly Brilliant Presenters

Think about the last presentation that truly stuck with you. Chances are, there haven’t been many, since we’ve all sat through countless talks and can probably only name a few. The memorable ones weren’t necessarily more convincing or better designed than others, and most of what made them memorable wasn’t even on the slides.

There’s something about the way this person did it that really drew you in and made you want to listen. That’s the heart of what this article explores, and it’s a little unsettling to realise that, for most of us, we didn’t get to choose that part.

There’s a part of you that shows up every time you stand to speak, a version you’ve inherited from all your past presentations rather than purposefully creating it. It comes with you whether you want it to or not, shaping how you start, how fast you speak, how you use pauses, and whether the room feels like you’re speaking with them or at them.

That version came from repetition instead of intention, which is why putting more effort into your slides often doesn’t make much difference. Instead, the people who improve the quickest are the ones who focus on changing their habits.

I created a guide on those habits a few years back, and it’s been downloaded over 25,000 times. That really shows I’m not the only one who believes they’re important. In this article, I share the ideas behind the guide and the five habits I would recommend starting with.

The presenter you didn’t choose

Begin by reflecting on your most recent presentation and the journey it took to come together. This personal approach makes the process feel more relatable and encouraging.

If you’re like many people I know, you probably started by introducing yourself and outlining what you’d cover. You might have put together the deck before really deciding what your main message was, and you quietly rehearsed it in your mind, using a voice you’d never actually speak out loud in front of others.

Remember, none of what happened was truly your choice. It’s just what you’ve done before, time and time again. The version of yourself that appears has been quietly practising this pattern for quite a while.

Research from Ann Graybiel’s lab at MIT suggests that when we break a habit, we don’t erase it; we overwrite it with a new one, and the old pattern can resurface whenever the familiar cues return.

The room, the laptop, and the semicircle of faces eagerly waiting for you to start all have a magical way of bringing out your familiar self. That’s why you might read a helpful book on public speaking, agree with every word, and still find yourself delivering your speech just as you normally do, a couple of weeks later.

The goal isn’t to learn twenty new things all at once, because the version of you that steps up under pressure can only handle two or three. Pick them carefully, practice them regularly until they become second nature, and they become effortless habits, just like all your other routines that you’ve developed over time.

Here are the five I’d begin with.

They see it as an opportunity, not a trial

You can usually tell which version of a presenter you’re watching before they’ve said a word, because the difference shows up in what they do rather than in what they say.

Many of us tend to approach presentations like they’re a test, which can make us feel nervous and distant. We often arrive just in time, head straight to the laptop, and avoid talking to anyone beforehand because it feels too exposing. Once you start, your speech might speed up more than you intend, filling every pause, and even a small frown on a slide can linger in your mind and disrupt your focus later. It’s easy to visualise the audience as the judge and yourself as the one on trial, which can make the whole experience feel more like self-protection than genuine communication, but with a little preparation and a relaxed mindset, these moments can become opportunities to connect authentically and confidently.

The presenter who views the same half hour as an opportunity approaches it with subtle yet visible changes. They arrive early to interact with two or three people before anyone takes their seats, ensuring they see familiar faces instead of an anonymous crowd. They inquire about what those individuals hope to gain, then adapt their remarks based on the responses.

Same room, same slides, same subject, and the only difference is that one of them turned up to survive it and the other turned up to be useful.

They stick to the point

You probably know the deck I’m talking about, the one with forty slides and an appendix. Around slide twelve, the presenter mentions that we’re short on time and plans to skip through some slides, but then ends up reading six of them anyway.

Every part of it is genuine, which makes it so challenging to cut because it’s all truth, all effort, and any of it might one day matter. However, preparing for every possible question is a very different task than focusing on the decision the room actually needs to make. Your default instinct might be to prepare for the first, because it keeps you safe, while the real goal is often to serve what’s best for the team or the situation.

Brilliant presenters tell an audience what they need to know and trust that less is more, which takes considerably more preparation rather than less, and that is almost certainly why so few people do it.

They use their voice, and they pause

Your voice is an incredibly powerful tool as a presenter, capable of energising a room or calming it completely. Yet, many of us only use a small part of its range when we stand up to speak. That’s often because we default to a voice register we think a professional should use, rather than embracing the unique voice we truly own.

Using it properly means gently varying your pitch, tone, volume, and pace on purpose rather than by accident. It also involves learning to pause; something that’s trickier than it sounds but very worthwhile. From your perspective, two seconds of silence might feel like ten, and your natural instinct is to fill that space, but for your audience, those same two seconds can add emphasis and give them a moment to absorb your message.

Many people find it challenging to hold that pause for long because it can feel uncomfortable for the speaker. However, in truth, the real advantage goes to the audience, who greatly benefits from that moment of silence.

They tell stories

A good story, told with care and relevance, has the power to truly influence what people think and believe more than almost anything else you can share. It invites your audience into your world, and that’s where the spark of empathy naturally begins.

Most business presentations often lack a genuine story, even though everyone in the room has at least a few interesting ones. The person leading the presentation might share three stories in the corridor afterwards, just for fun, and do so beautifully because, in that moment, nobody is formally presenting. It’s a reminder that storytelling can bring warmth and authenticity to any setting.

It often feels like, somewhere between the hallway and the front of the room, we quietly agree that being taken seriously means focusing solely on the data. As a result, the story gets left behind, and all we’re left with are a set of numbers with nobody inside them.

They give the audience a good reason

Your audience is quietly asking themselves the same question throughout your talk: why should I?

You’ve experienced those presentations that cover all the bases: the market, methodology, timeline, and risks, and are accurate, thorough, and well-intentioned, yet somehow never quite arrive at what you, the listener, should do differently on Monday morning or explain why it matters. Everyone nods along, but nothing changes, and that’s often the most silent way a presentation can fall flat.

Great presenters answer that question clearly, with a reason that resonates with the audience right where they are, rather than from where the presenter stands. This is exactly the kind of support I’m often asked to provide.

The other fifteen

The guide covers these topics thoroughly, including the research behind them. To sum up:

When the nerves arrive

They acknowledge and reframe. Nerves are normal, so accept them. Remind yourself that it isn’t a performance you’re giving; it’s a conversation you’re going to have.

They focus on the audience. Take the attention off yourself and put it on how you want the room to feel.

They don’t try to be perfect. Reaching for perfection only raises anxiety, and your job is simply to be the best version of yourself.

They anchor themselves. Recall a time you felt calm and confident, breathe deeply, and put yourself back in that moment.

They practise. Worrying about the event and rehearsing for it use up the same energy, and only one of them helps.

Holding a room’s attention

They use colourful, creative and compelling images. A well-chosen image sparks curiosity and gives your message somewhere to live.

They involve their audience. Ask questions, get people talking to each other, and use their imaginations.

They use videos and props. Both reach emotions that the spoken word can struggle to reach on its own.

They stay in the present. Stop judging the room while you’re standing in it, and practise noticing your own breathing during the day.

Getting to yes

They know how to make friends. Find common ground, smile, listen, ask questions, and add something to people’s lives.

They know what they’re talking about. Authority comes from having done the work, and audiences can always tell.

They’re consistent. Know your audience and speak within a framework that matches who you really are.

They’re generous. You don’t need a gift, because your passion, energy, undivided attention and eye contact all count.

They help them to see the contrast. Make it unmistakable how your idea is better than what they have now.

They give them hope. Work out what your audience hopes for and show them that it’s within reach.

The full guide

All twenty are set out in The 20 Habits of Truly Brilliant Presenters, along with the neuroscience behind stage fright, learning, mindfulness and persuasion, and a reference for every research claim in it. It’s free, and there’s nothing to fill in.

Then find out which ones you actually have

Understanding a habit and actually having it are quite different, and we often aren’t the best judges of our own presentations. This is because what sticks with us afterwards is more how it felt rather than how it actually landed. The presentation you left feeling like you had pulled it off might have been judged differently by someone else, and the one you thought went badly might not have been as bad as you believed. Both were judged by the same person who was in the worst spot to see everything clearly, so it’s hard to rely on your own perception.

I’ve prepared a helpful scorecard for you. One sheet offers an honest self-assessment of all twenty habits, while the other is designed for a colleague in your audience. It uses simple language and asks only about their experience in the room. Usually, the most valuable insights come from the differences between these two sheets, guiding your growth.

Where to take this next

Changing habits becomes much more manageable when you receive honest feedback, have some structure to guide you, and are surrounded by a supportive room full of people all working towards the same goals. It’s a journey best shared with others who encourage and uplift you every step of the way.

A public speaking course suits people who want to build these habits alongside others; one-to-one coaching suits anyone working on something specific and personal; and presentation skills training suits organisations whose people know their subject but still can’t make anyone care about it.

No one in that room, waiting for you to start, expects perfection. They simply hope you’ll be worth listening to, which is a kinder and more achievable request.

The next version of yourself will be shaped just like this one, through repetition. The main thing to consider is whether you had a say in that process. Instead of trying to change everything at once, pick two habits to focus on. Practice them enough times so they start to feel natural, and soon you’ll walk into a new situation with a presenter you’ve intentionally chosen.

If one of these ideas resonates with you, consider sharing it with a colleague who’s working on the same project. Sometimes, a single idea, shared at just the right moment, can spark real change.

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