Talent can be taught.
Douglas Krager, a radio host, author and renowned public speaker, recently wrote a column on talent in which he channels the philosophy of author and journalist Geoff Colvin: Talent = Yearning + Input + Deliberate Practice.
Interestingly enough, Colvin’s definition varies considerably from the Merriam-Webster definition of talent: “the natural endowments of a person.”
The two definitions are not mutually exclusive. However, while some individuals who achieve greatness in their respective fields are certainly blessed with an abundance of innate skills, many super-achievers tend to identify desire, coaching and perseverance as their key success factors. .
Yankee baseball legend Mickey Mantle is a fine example. As a child, he played baseball, but he never considered himself “good enough.” So he practiced more and more. He got coaching. And when he played, he did it with all his heart. As he famously said, “Somebody once asked me if I ever went up to the plate trying to hit a home run. I said, ‘Sure, every time.’”
Similarly, in the realm of making presentations, a podium becomes the presenter’s equivalent “home plate”: speakers inevitably approach the podium with the desire to “hit it out of the park.”
Very few individuals can make such compelling presentations as a result of their innate abilities. But a great many individuals do have the capacity to acquire such talent, given the chance to cultivate such skills with effective coaching.
That’s what a great presentation skills coach can provide.
And that’s what this service is all about. Cultivating a natural talent … or creating a new one.