Show commitment and emotion, but make your message paramount. And control your pacing so listeners hang on every word.

Too often people present as if they're looking at a closeup on a cellphone screen, with one object in focus and everything else a blur. Take the time to establish context and lead the audience to your mountain. Do it with a vivid river or path and everything in sharp focus.

Speakers and presenters also need to challenge themselves to improve. Be honest with yourself about the quality of your presentations, and where to sharpen your skills.

We also recommend using targeted challenge stories in client or potential client meetings. These examples show your humility, and allow you to more quickly connect. They also strategically implant in the minds of the listener that you learned critical lessons and are now seasoned and nimble. Bottom that.

When you prep a presentation, carefully consider your audience, their concerns and perspective.

We see far too many professionals constrained by expectations of how they should comport themselves. They hold themselves back or hew to their industry's starchy view of professional demeanor. But if you elect to live in this safe zone, don't expect to advance as quickly as you might if you choose your own path.

Meaningless phrases abound in business presentations. These phrases are filler, or serve as an announcement. They do not reflect well on the speaker and are unnecessary, but old habits are hard to break. Unfortunately, they also waste the listeners' time and test their patience.

Charismatic leaders and great orators have also mastered storytelling*. Make your story evoke emotion and audiences drop their guard of cynicism.

Rather than being complacent, introduce new creative elements into your speaking. It will take time and attention, but the rewards are worth it. The artists who combined skill and talent with a unique vision were standouts. You can too.

When formulating your next open, first consider the message you would like to convey. Then connect a current event to your topic. Or, describe a setback and what you learned from it. Or, use a sport you played and how one event or coaching made a difference.