The most overlooked presenting skill? Listening
When we think about presenting, we tend to picture someone speaking – standing in front of a room, commanding attention, and delivering their message. But here’s the paradox: one of the most underrated skills of powerful presenters isn’t speaking at all. It’s listening.
Sorry, what?
In a world that celebrates those who talk the loudest, presenters who truly listen stand out. They inspire trust, create connection, and – most importantly – ensure their message actually lands. Great presenting isn’t about showcasing yourself. It’s about being of service to your audience. And the fastest route to understanding what your audience needs is simple: listen to them.
Why listening matters now
We’re in a workplace culture overloaded with noise. Meetings, reports, dashboards, Slack threads, emails, and endless updates. Everyone is speaking; few are listening.
For presenters, this creates a golden opportunity. When you slow down, listen carefully, and reflect your audience’s concerns and aspirations back to them, you become rare. You become relevant. And relevance is what transforms Point A (your audience’s current state) into Point B (the place of clarity, alignment, or action you’re guiding them to).
When listening changed everything
A few months ago, an engineer client of mine was preparing to speak at a Women in Leadership conference. The organisers had provided her with a detailed brief of what they wanted covered. But as she looked at it, she thought: “Is this really what my audience wants to hear from me?”
She was worried the topic felt dry and disconnected. So, instead of blindly following the brief, she picked up the phone. She reached out to five women who she knew would be in the audience and simply asked: “You know me, you know my experience. What would be most useful for you to hear?”
The answers were surprising. What they wanted had little to do with the organisers’ outline. Instead of technical updates and formal frameworks, they were hungry for insight on the softer side of leadership: managing difficult dynamics, navigating spaces where they were the only woman in the room, negotiating with influence, handling challenging personalities.
Armed with this, she built a hybrid presentation – honouring the organiser’s requirements but weaving in the real-world stories and practical advice her audience actually craved. The result? The organisers were satisfied, the audience was energised, and her talk became one of the highlights of the conference. That’s the power of listening before you speak.
Listening before, during and after you present
Listening doesn’t start in the room. It starts in the preparation. Research your audience. Ask questions about what they want to hear from you and listen to their responses. Probe for what keeps them awake at night. Then, while you’re presenting:
Listen with your eyes. Notice the nods, the quizzical looks, and distracted glances. They tell you more than words.
Listen with your pauses. Pauses give your audience space to think, time to catch up – and give you insight into whether your message is landing.
Listen to questions. They often reveal exactly what matters most to your audience.
And after you present? Keep listening. Ask, “What landed?” and “What’s still unclear?” That feedback is gold for refining your Point B next time.
The opportunity of listening
People who feel listened to are far more likely to listen to you. That’s the reciprocity of communication. When your audience feels you’ve genuinely heard them, they open the door for your ideas to enter. Trust is built. Influence is strengthened.
So, while others are busy polishing their slides and practising their “performance”, you can amplify your impact with something quieter, simpler, and infinitely more powerful.
My challenge to you
At your next presentation, don’t just ask “What am I going to say?” Ask “What does my audience need to hear?” and “What am I going to hear?” Because when you listen well – before, during, and after – your audience doesn’t just remember your words. They remember how you made them feel: respected, valued, and understood.
That’s the quiet superpower that will carry you – and your ideas – into the spotlight.
Finding your audience’s Point A before you plan a word is the first of the Three Practices. The Spotlight starts there – in-house, for teams, anywhere in New Zealand. Tell us about your team.
Russell Pickering – founder of The Pickering Group, author of Step into the Spotlight.