Here’s something that might surprise you: every single day at work, you’re giving presentations.
And no, that’s not just when you’re standing in front of a conference room with slides, but in every meeting, every conversation, and every interaction.
As TEDx speaker, presentation expert, and TaskHuman Coach Uma Devireddy puts it, “In every aspect of workplace culture, we’re presenting our brand (ourselves) in different ways to different people with and in different perspectives.”
From delivering quarterly KPIs or introducing yourself to a new team member, to talking with your boss or sending an email to a client, partner, or supplier, you’re presenting.
This means everyone needs to up-skill in the art of confident communication, not just designated speakers or leaders.
And while this may be an unsettling realization, it can be liberating once you realize you can take control, learn the skill, and have an impact in every situation.
When most people think of workplace presentations, they might picture formal settings: standing at the front of a room, laser pointer in hand, delivering prepared remarks to a seated audience. But Coach Uma sees it differently.
“Public speaking or presentation is just one small aspect of the overall big umbrella of communication,” she explains. “It’s how I present myself to you right now, how you present yourself to the world, how you interact with people.”
Again, this broader view is liberating.
It means you don’t need to wait for a big presentation to start building your speaking skills. Every team meeting, every one-on-one, every casual conversation is an opportunity to practice presenting your most confident, authentic self.
The greatest obstacle for most people when it comes to presenting at any degree is confidence. Having the drive and charisma to speak your mind and say your truth.
However, what people confuse is that communicating confidently isn’t just about comfort — it’s about your career trajectory.
Uma puts it simply: “Wherever I am, it’s my brand that’s gonna take me to where I want to be. My dream job, dream career, or the industry or the connections, everything, the core of it all is your brand.”
So, how do you showcase that brand?
Through communication. How you speak about yourself, your work, and your ideas becomes the vehicle that takes you where you want to go in your career.
This is especially true as workplaces evolve.
“People have started to realize… if you want to be in leadership, you want to interact with people, you have to be a good presenter,” Uma observes. “Every leader has to present at a town hall or at a conference hall or at meetings… everybody’s job description is presenting.”
Often, it’s our own belief systems that stop us from being confident speakers.
Coach Uma explains that it comes down to “our nature and nurture… maybe I’m not a good presenter, maybe I can’t speak well.”
It’s these internal thoughts and streams of consciousness that hold you back. If you believe you’ve never been a confident speaker and that’s not who you are, you’ll never grow in this area unless you change your mindset.
Uma knows this intimately from her own experience.
Despite heading global learning and development for a major bank in India at just 21 years old, she found herself questioning her abilities when she moved to the United States. “When I came to the US, I went through a huge 360-degree because I felt like, oh, I may not be good at communication here because English is my second language.”
This belief manifested fast. After one piece of constructive criticism stating that she spoke too quickly, Uma found her confidence so completely derailed that she actually left her learning and development career for a technology role, staying there for years.
“It took me a while to become self-aware that, oh, this was my blockage,” she reflects.
And here’s the encouraging news: “It’s easy to learn confidence.” The key is recognizing and working through the beliefs that limit us.
Whatever your belief or source of your lack of confidence, note that it does not burden you forever. Instead, you can follow a simple roadmap to help overcome your issues and present as your best self.
The journey begins with understanding what’s blocking you. “The first step is self-awareness,” Uma says. “Being aware that I have this belief system is what is blocking me from becoming a better presenter.”
You can’t change or grow through what you don’t know, so start by knowing what you need.
For Uma, it was realizing she could adapt her speaking pace: “I’m going to pause and ask people if they understood me or not. If they don’t, I’m gonna go slow.”
Self-awareness allows you to identify specific areas for improvement rather than accepting a general belief that you’re “not good at presenting.”
Once you know what to work on, practice becomes crucial. Uma recommends a graduated approach:
Here’s where Uma’s approach becomes particularly powerful. Instead of trying to be someone you’re not, she encourages speakers to start with their own story.
“Start with you. What’s your story?” she asks. “Each of our stories is unique. Each of our stories is personal, and each of our stories also has a lesson that can transform somebody else’s life.”
The goal is to find what makes you authentic and vulnerable, then weave those elements into your presentations. “The more vulnerable you are, the better you can connect with people because everybody has similar stories.”
Learn how to apply mindful strategies and take action with what you’re working on within your roadmap.
Whether it’s a job interview, team introduction, or personal brand presentation, Uma suggests identifying the transformational moments in your story. “Finding that transformational moment in your story… What makes you authentic? What makes you vulnerable? What about your story that you can carry forward into every presentation?”
What if your manager asks you to present the quarterly KPIs? Uma’s advice focuses on understanding your connection to the material: “What did I do to make that particular KPI profitable for the organization? What did I do to bring up value?”
She also emphasizes knowing your audience: “If I’m presenting KPIs to a bunch of finance experts, I have to show the value in terms of numbers. If I’m presenting my KPIs and my product value to a product management team, then I have to show them how the customers are receiving that product.”
Most importantly, remember: “it’s your product, it’s your KPI, you built the presentation. Nobody knows better than you.”
“Humor is always helpful, but it has to be appropriate and in the right way, at the right time,” Uma notes. If you’re new to presenting, she suggests being cautious with humor unless you know the group well. Storytelling, however, is always safe and effective.
The rise of remote work has added new layers to workplace presentations. Uma observes, “Your vocal confidence comes from the more you lean towards your own authenticity.”
Her practical advice for remote presentations:
For getting people comfortable on camera, Uma uses a thoughtful approach with this script: “It would be amazing if we could put a name to the face. And it would be nice for me to know you. And sometimes if you are not on camera, I wouldn’t know if you’re understanding something.”
Perhaps most importantly, Coach Uma normalizes the fear that comes with presenting. Even after 25 years of speaking and delivering keynotes to thousands, she admits: “Even today, when I walk up on the stage, I do have that fear.”
The difference isn’t the absence of fear—it’s moving forward despite it. “Fear is okay, it’s not a bad word. Embark on that fear and say, yes, I am scared, but I’ll still do it because I know the subject.”
Building confidence in workplace presenting isn’t about becoming a different person—it’s about becoming more authentically yourself while developing practical skills. As Uma reminds us, it’s about “unlearning our belief systems are values that are not serving us anymore” and embracing the reality that presenting is now part of everyone’s role.
Start small. Practice in the mirror. Share your story with trusted friends. Volunteer for a small presentation. Remember that every interaction is an opportunity to present your best self.
At TaskHuman, we believe every employee deserves to feel confident in their communication. Whether through individual coaching with experts like Uma or team workshops, developing presentation skills is an investment that pays dividends throughout your career.
Your voice matters. Your story matters. And with the right approach, you can share both with confidence and authenticity.
Ready to develop your presentation skills? TaskHuman connects you with expert speaking coaches who can help you build confidence, overcome limiting beliefs, and master the art of authentic communication.
Reach out to learn how we can support your team’s communication development.