Imagine for a moment that you are the marketing director for a FMCG company and responsible for the launch of a major new product. Would you rely solely on your internal comms team to develop the entire brand and communications strategy, develop a full suite of creative solutions to work across multiple platforms, and then execute the media plan? Unlikely. You would probably bring in a specialist agency – not because your internal comms team isn’t capable, but because the skills required are outside their remit. You want and need help from experts.
Similarly, would you consider sending a junior sales rep to a multi-million-pound pitch with only basic training? Again, unlikely.
So, we are somewhat baffled by the current trend of companies choosing to use already stretched internal L&D teams to develop and deliver a wide range of training programmes, including for specialist, high-stakes topics such as leadership, communication, and presentation skills.
When it’s your brand, reputation, or next big opportunity on the line, generic, one-size-fits-all training often falls short. Helping people to develop persuasive and effective communication skills deserves the same specialist support that is naturally applied elsewhere across the business. And while we appreciate that evaluating the ROI on soft skills can be more difficult, it’s not hard to understand the impact of failed or missed new business opportunities, lost revenue, and dwindling or damaged corporate and brand credibility.
Internal L&D teams are a vital asset to any organisation
With their deep understanding of company culture, values, policies and internal systems, L&D professionals are able to design and deliver training that’s highly relevant in many areas including inducting new employees, rolling out new systems training, supporting workplace compliance standards, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. In these instances, their internal perspective can be invaluable.
Many L&D teams design their programmes around the widely recognised 70:20:10 learning model, which suggests that 70% of learning should happen through on-the-job experiences, 20% through interactions with others, and 10% via formal training. Internal L&D professionals are especially effective at enabling the 70 and 20; they know how to embed learning into daily workflows and promote peer-to-peer development. Their deep knowledge of internal systems, performance metrics, and business processes allows them to design training that supports operational excellence and aligns closely with company objectives.
But how do they decide which skills coaching should fall within the 10% category and be delivered by external experts versus internal L&D staff?
We thought it would be helpful to develop a checklist of questions that L&D professionals can ask themselves to determine when internal presentation skills training may not be sufficient.
Internal vs external presentation skills training – an L&D checklist
1. Do I have true subject-matter depth in this area?
- Am I trained or certified in the areas of leadership communication, critical influencing, public speaking, business storytelling, objection management, and managing executive presence?
- Do I have years of practical, personal experience applying these skills in high-stakes situations e.g. pitching, presenting to boards, crisis comms etc?
2. Do I have the authority to address advanced learner needs?
- Can I credibly coach experienced leaders, not just entry-level teams?
- Am I equipped to give objective, highly personal feedback to senior execs on everything from the narrative structure of their presentations to the way they hold themselves when sitting in a meeting, not just top tips on slide images or delivery basics?
3. Is my training content current and externally benchmarked?
- Have I built this programme based on proven external best practices, or is it mostly drawn from internal experience or reading a few manuals?
- Would this training stand up against what our competitors or clients might be receiving from specialist external providers?
4. Can I offer a fresh, objective perspective?
- Am I too close to the organisation to challenge bad habits or misguided assumptions that may be holding presenters back?
- Would an external voice carry more credibility for senior teams or resistant learners?
5. Do I have time to do this at the level it deserves?
- Given my current workload, can I fully dedicate the time needed to tailor and personalise every training intervention I run, as well as provide follow-up mentoring and coaching?
6. What does internal skills training say about our commitment to staff development?
- If I were a participant in an internally run workshop, how valued would I feel?
- If the business invested in training run by an external provider, would I feel that the business valued me more, and that it was more committed to my development?
7. Will the training have a measurable impact?
- Do I know how to measure the success of the training beyond satisfaction scores?
- Can I link it to business outcomes, such as more productive client conversions, improved internal influence, or increased leadership visibility?
At SecondNature, we passionately believe that effective leadership communication and presentation skills coaching is one such subject that requires and deserves specialist external training.
What’s the strategic advantage of external communication training?
Coaching business presentation and communication skills isn’t just part of what we do, it’s our entire business. Our success depends on our clients’ success by delivering real and measurable results that can be assessed on the bottom line.
When you bring in a company like SecondNature, you’re not just getting a trainer, you’re getting an executive coach whose credibility is rooted in extensive, first-hand experience. All of our coaches, for example, have held senior commercial roles. They’ve pitched for major accounts, presented to executive boards, led internal change programmes, and spoken on public stages.
That means they don’t just teach the principles of powerful communication, they’ve lived them. And because of that, they quickly earn the respect of even the most experienced, senior or even sceptical participants.
In contrast, many internal L&D professionals, as capable and committed as they are, will be the first to admit that they haven’t had to deliver high-stakes presentations themselves. In fact, from the feedback we receive, only a small proportion have been in roles where these skills were core to their success.
We also find that one of the most important differences an external coach brings is the ability to deliver objective, deeply personal feedback. Internal trainers often hesitate to offer truly candid feedback to senior executives within their organisation due to the risk of strained relationships. Sometimes, also, they simply don’t have the experience to land the feedback effectively. But it’s precisely this kind of tailored, honest input that helps senior leaders break bad habits and develop the skills they need to present persuasively and with impact.
There’s also a psychological dimension worth noting; when an organisation invests in external coaching or training, employees regard this as an investment in their future, a vote of confidence, if you will. It signals that the company values their development and is willing to back it with time and resources. That, in turn, increases engagement and commitment, both to the training itself and to the behaviours it’s designed to build.
Business situations that demand expert communication skills
By way of example, let’s examine several scenarios comparing external specialised coaching with generic internal training. The difference in outcome can be significant:
- High-stakes Presentations
Whether it’s pitching to investors, securing a major client, or presenting a business-critical proposal to the board, these are high-pressure moments where the quality of communication directly impacts the outcome. In these scenarios generic, standardised training, however well-intentioned, simply doesn’t cut it. Mastering presentations that inspire action and deliver measurable results demands tailored coaching from experts who understand the stakes, the psychology of influence, and how to prepare individuals for scrutiny, challenge, and real-time decision-making.
An internal trainer may teach someone how to strengthen their eye contact and gesture appropriately; an external expert, on the other hand, will coach them on how to craft a compelling narrative, establish credibility, own the room, anticipate objections and questions, shift tone mid-presentation to adapt to the audience’s reaction, and respond with authority under pressure.
One produces competence. The other builds confidence and trustworthiness that moves people to act.
- Senior leadership communication
Executives represent the voice, values, and vision of the organisation. Whether addressing employees during times of change, presenting to analysts, or speaking publicly on behalf of the business, the ability to communicate with clarity, authority, and authenticity is non-negotiable.
Internal L&D teams, while highly skilled in many areas, often lack the firsthand experience or external perspective to challenge and coach senior leaders effectively. Senior-level communication requires nuance, striking the right balance between authority and empathy, demonstrating vulnerability without undermining credibility, and tailoring delivery to suit vastly different audiences.
Developing this level of communication effectiveness requires highly skilled coaching, together with the ability (and position) to provide exceptionally personal feedback – things which internal L&D trainers are typically not able to provide.
- Coaching on influence, impact, gravitas and credibility
Developing authentic influence isn’t about learning to “sound more confident”. It’s about understanding how trust is built, how presence is conveyed, and how to read the room, especially when the stakes are high.
Theoretical models and generic role-playing exercises can help build awareness, but they rarely deliver lasting behavioural change. What’s required is coaching from trusted professionals who’ve operated in high-stakes environments themselves. Experts who can spot the small adjustments that will have a big impact.
These subtle coaching inputs are rarely covered in standard internal training, but they are exactly the kind of feedback that we at SecondNature focus on.
The real impact of external training
Ultimately, great communication isn’t about performing. It’s about connecting with different audiences, and that requires coaching that is as personal as it is professional. When the stakes are high, investing in expert-led training is not a luxury; it’s a strategic decision that sets people and organisations apart.
Specialist coaches bring fresh energy to the learning experience. With diverse delivery styles, real-world examples, and proven coaching frameworks, they’re able to engage participants from the outset, even those who’ve been through multiple internal training programmes.
Rather than relying on generic slides and general theory, these specialists tailor sessions to each audience, using proven methodologies, relatable case studies, role-specific roleplays, and personalised feedback. This dynamic approach enhances engagement and fosters deeper learning. The result? Employees don’t just attend, they trust, participate, apply, and retain.
Faster application of skills
One of the key advantages of external training is its sharp focus. At SecondNature, every one of our programmes is built around specific business goals and personalised for each participant’s learning objectives, whether that’s presenting with more authority, handling objections in client meetings, or crafting a more compelling business story.
Because the training is so practical and directly relevant, participants can apply what they’ve learned immediately. For example:
- A sales leader might return from a coaching session with a revised pitch deck and a more compelling narrative.
- A senior manager may walk into their next team meeting with renewed clarity and confidence in how they communicate strategy to staff.
- A high-potential employee could ladder up their key messages at the next project meeting, rather than drowning the team in unnecessary detail.
In each case, change isn’t theoretical; it’s visible. And it’s fast.
Long-term return on communication investment
The business case for presentation and communication coaching becomes even stronger over time. Confident, credible communicators are better equipped to win business, lead teams, and build trust, both internally and externally. That’s why organisations that invest in expert-led development often see measurable returns in:
- Improved client relationships
- Stronger leadership presence
- More persuasive internal communications
- Higher success rates in pitches, proposals, or funding conversations
- Greater talent retention
When training is led by true communication specialists, it’s not just about individual skill growth, it’s about building a communication culture that supports long-term performance.
Finding the right balance
Internal L&D teams remain a vital component of a robust learning strategy. Their deep knowledge of their company’s goals, values, culture, and systems ensures consistency and alignment across the business. But when it comes to communication skills, especially at the highest levels, internal resources alone often aren’t enough.
Bringing in external expertise doesn’t replace internal capability; it complements it. It sends a clear message that the organisation values excellence and is willing to invest in the kind of coaching that helps individuals thrive and helps the business succeed.
Organisations that blend the strengths of their internal L&D teams with the expertise of external specialists consistently see greater results. They bring a level of focus, depth, and credibility that can shift the impact of training from informative to transformational.
At SecondNature UK, we specialise in helping professionals communicate, present, and influence with greater confidence and impact. Whether it’s group workshops for teams or 1-to-1 coaching for senior leaders, our programmes are built to deliver tangible, business-ready results.
We’re known as the Business Presentation Skills Experts, training and coaching thousands of people in an A-Z of global and local organisations. Whether it’s a team meeting or a high-stakes presentation, we’ll help your people become the confident, compelling, and memorable presenters they want to be. View our presentation skills training and coaching reviews to check out what they say about our programmes. We have a wide range of customised corporate training solutions,both in-person and online, to choose from, each of which are tailored to your specific business needs.
