In the era of AI slop this skill will set you apart

The useful part

From a functional perspective, strong communication skills help leaders outline vision, motivate followers, and coordinate collective action. Indeed, some evidence suggests that their delivery matters more than the content they present. They can't sleep the night before because they fear stumbling over their words or drawing a complete blank.

How it works

• The AI penalty AI has crept into our workflows—conducting background research, providing feedback, and, in some cases, even writing on our behalf.
• Public speaking is so reliably anxiety inducing that psychologists use it as a means of creating stress in their laboratory studies.
• In the Trier Social Stress Test, for example, subjects are asked to prepare a free-form presentation to deliver in front of an audience.
• In one study, just a few minutes of preparation triggered spikes in heart rate and stress hormones like cortisol.
• For those who fear public speaking, I have some good news, and I have some bad news.

What to take from it

These presentation skills recently became more important, and I mean a lot more important.

Details worth keeping

Presentation skills have always been critical to career success. From a symbolic perspective, good presenters just look more like leaders. They come across as competent, capable, and charismatic.