The call came into Joe Nagel's office at 8:00 AM on a Monday morning. His boss Mike was ill with the flu and he asked Joe to deliver his scheduled presentation to the board at 9:00 AM. This was no ordinary presentation. It was designed to gain approval for moving forward with the next generation of the company's flagship product. Joe's mouth immediately went dry and a headache began to develop at the base of his skull. Mike's assistant knocked lightly on Joe's door. She handed him a USB flash-drive with Mike's presentation. Joe was over his head and he knew it. This presentation could make or break his career.

Joe gave the presentation his best shot, but from the moment he made his opening remarks he knew he was in trouble. Eight sets of eyes stared at him without offering any reaction or encouragement. It didn't take long after the meeting for the verdict to be announced. The second generation product was being sent back to the drawing board. As one board member commented to Joe's boss a few days after the presentation, "Your guy exhibited no enthusiasm or passion for this product. If one of your key people can't communicate its importance, then something is very wrong."

Could this situation happen to you? What would you do if you were in Joe's shoes? How would you be perceived by the board? Let's make no mistake about it, an inability to project enthusiasm and passion in high-stakes presentations can be career limiting. You know that you have strong feelings about your work, but how well can you communicate this to the people on mahogany row? Please understand that you do not have to shout and jump around to project enthusiasm. The following techniques will you deliver an enthusiastic presentation when it counts, especially if you ever find yourself in Joe's shoes.

What can you do to become an authentic communicator?

1. Communicating Enthusiasm with Testimonials

   Sometimes it is easier to let someone else brag for you. This can be accomplished by using a testimonial from a client or industry thought leader. The reading of the testimonial could be preceded by a statement such as the following, "I believe that the data we are presenting today supports our request to continue the development of this product. However, I thought you might be interested in the following letter from Professor Albert Brown of MIT. As you know, he has been consulting with us and holds over 100 patents in this field. Professor Brown is out of the country today, but he asked that I read this letter to you." Obviously you need to be able to predict how this testimonial will be received. If Professor Brown is extremely well respected by the audience, then this could be an excellent way to leverage his enthusiasm for the project.

2. Illustrations and Stories

   Predictable or routine delivery is the enemy of outstanding presentations. Inject a story related to the topic of your presentation and watch the entire atmosphere surrounding the meeting change. The minute you say, "Let me tell you a story," something magical happens. The story ideally will have the following components: characters that are known by the audience, a challenge that was daunting, and lastly, a successful resolution to the challenge. Select a story that you are familiar with and watch your enthusiasm soar.

3. The Reciprocal Approach to Enthusiasm

   With this technique, you are going to pause, look into the eyes of the audience members, and in a voice that is softer and more conversational than your normal speaking voice, tell them your personal beliefs about the product, service or request for funding. This will be an authentic and well crafted message from the heart. You may even consider walking closer to the audience or sitting on the edge of a table. There will be no doubt about your level of enthusiasm or commitment to the topic. Notice that this technique doesn't require performing like a motivational speaker, but it does require a dramatic change of pace and a lower voice volume. It is best to position the Reciprocal Approach in the middle of your presentation, where it will stand out in contrast to your normal delivery style.

Try these techniques with your next presentation and be ready for a very positive reaction from your audience. And finally, let us always remember the words of comedian Robin Williams regarding enthusiasm, "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."