Presentation is everything...

Call it bedside manner or what you will, but how information is presented is everything.

Telling a joke?  Of course timing matters, tremendously, but even if timing is perfect, it can't cover up the lackluster presentation that comes across duller than a fence post.

Introducing yourself?  Presentation matters... your body language, tone of voice, choice of words... could be the difference between successful networking and that polite grin, wrinkled brow, and "uh huh," with a nod of the head that says, Ok, now go away...

I may not be an expert on the issue, but I do know one thing about people in general:  how they react, more often than not, depends on presentation.  Presentation can manipulate, to some extent, reactions of the audience.

Think of the last time someone criticized you...  Criticism is not generally a positive experience, even for people who are open-minded, confident, and make a practice of using it to their benefit.  The reality is that it is still criticism.  But, how did you respond to the criticism?  Did you internalize it?   Did you start to berate the critical eye of the person you received the criticism from?  Or, did they present the criticism in a way that encouraged you to make mental notes of what you could do better? that encouraged you to ask questions so that you could better fulfill the expectations of whatever your task was?

What would that look like?  What would it feel like?  How would it sound?  I believe some people are labeled as brash, or cold-hearted, or a jackass because they've never learned to finesse their presentation.  Some people think of this practice as walking on egg shells or using Kid-gloves because the receiving party is just too damn sensitive, taking any information or criticism that is not presented in a "touchy-feely" kind of way as a personal attack.

My belief is that every encounter between two people is more genuine when the whole person is taken into account.  They do have feelings, they may be having a shitty day, they may have made errors or bad choices,  they may have personal issues that are preventing them from focusing as much as they need to or would like to.  If you think you know someone who can totally banish all facets of their personal life while at work or all facets of their work life while at home, you are sadly mistaken.  They may be able to keep up the facade to all external eyes, but internally, in the subconscious, the gears are still turning, trying to unravel whatever mess or mayhem they are a party to.

There are plenty of other reasons to self-edit when presenting information of any kind in any format.  Some of the personally gratifying things are:  presenting great information in an equally great manner, presenting not so great information in a way that produces the least amount of anxiety or distress for the receiving party - trying to be a compassionate human, presenting encouraging information in a way that is just that: encouraging and with a boost that sparks the receiving party into action instead of into a dismal feeling of failure...

I have never been perfect about presentation nor claim to be, but I do try to make every encounter a little more tactful than the last, a little more insightful with an upswing, a little more thought provoking and motivating.  This I will always strive to do.