Communicating effectively in business requires far more than writing clearly and delivering persuasive presentations. It requires mastering fundamental skills such as active listening, nonverbal communication, and audience analysis, and then applying them to specific business situations — presenting, negotiating, resolving conflicts, getting hired, collaborating with colleagues, and more.

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In the context of creating presentations, I compare understanding your audience to many of the courtroom scenes you’ve viewed in the movies and on TV. During the trial, attorneys pose leading questions they know will impact the jurors as they intend. They can do that because they’ve had the opportunity to get to know them beforehand through questioning.

Whether presentations are live, virtual, or hybrid, they’re one of most effective business communication tools of our time. Strong presentation skills are a hallmark of strong leaders and people who aspire to become leaders. When you want to be seen as a subject matter expert (SME) or knowledge source, a presentation can showcase your skills and potential.

It’s in our nature to tell stories and share our life’s events. And you probably use hyperboles (exaggerations) to make your stories more engaging — peppering them with statements such as, “I nearly died of embarrassment” or “My feet were killing me.” While this casual sharing is different from being in front of an audience, you do know how to tell stories.