The CIPD Perspective: Why Evidence-Based Coaching Outperforms Inspiration
Motivational speaking feels good. Measurable behavioural change lasts. How my CIPD Level 5 qualification changed the way I design and deliver coaching programmes.
We have all been there. You hire a charismatic speaker to help your team with their presentation and public speaking. They spend an hour telling everyone to "find their inner voice", some breathing exercises. Power pose. The room leaves buzzing with energy. I've even seen workshops where people are told to "imagine the audience is in their underwear" — which, besides being incredibly awkward, doesn't actually help a manager explain a complex financial forecast.
The energy is great for an hour, but by Monday morning, that inspirational buzz has evaporated. You are back with Kumar reading his slides one by one. When your leaders don't need a pep talk — they need a technical framework that works under pressure.
As an HR professional, you know that inspiration is a temporary feeling, but communication is a permanent capability. To get real results, you need an evidence-based approach. Here is the CIPD-informed perspective on why structured coaching is the only way to build elite presenters.
Beating the Forgetting Curve (Ebbinghaus)
The biggest challenge for any L&D Manager is the Forgetting Curve. Research shows that without active reinforcement, people forget up to 90% of what they have learned within one week.
A one-off inspirational session is a victim of this curve. It provides a burst of ideas that quickly vanish. My coaching utilises Spaced Learning — breaking development into targeted sessions with real-world practice in between. We don't just talk about public speaking; we ensure the skill becomes part of their long-term muscle memory.
Building Self-Efficacy (Bandura)
In public speaking, there is a massive difference between feeling confident and being competent. Albert Bandura's theory of Self-Efficacy proves that true confidence comes from mastery experiences, not just hearing someone else's success story.
An inspirational speaker tells your team they can be great. As a coach, I give them the tools to actually do it — from vocal projection to structural clarity — and then I guide them through successful practice. When a leader masters a high-stakes presentation in a safe environment, their confidence becomes a permanent asset, not a temporary mood.
Activating the 70/20/10 Model
HR leaders live by the 70/20/10 model: 70% of learning comes from experiential practice, 20% from social interactions and feedback, and only 10% from formal education.
Inspiration stays stuck in that 10% bracket. It is passive. My coaching activates the other 90%. I work with your leaders on their actual upcoming presentations (the 70%) and provide the high-level, objective feedback loop (the 20%) to ensure actual results.
Think of it like this: you can buy gym memberships for all of your employees, but for them to actually become fit, you have to provide a personal trainer for the next six months — someone standing over them to make sure they finish the set. Someone has to be there to ensure the heavy lifting happens.
The Bottom Line for HR
Inspiration is a great start, but it is not a strategy for sustainable change. When you hire an evidence-based public speaking coach, you are not paying for a feel-good hour. You are investing in a structured process that reduces anxiety, clarifies leadership messaging, and creates measurable, lasting results.
Stop wishing for inspired speakers. Start building influential ones.
Let me take you forward.
About the Author
Nada Zekovic
Nada Zekovic is a TV presenter, MC, keynote speaker, and CIPD-certified trainer and coach based in Dubai. She has lived and worked across the UAE, Qatar, and Oman, and brings over a decade of experience in front of the camera and on international stages. She works with leaders, teams, and organisations across the Gulf and beyond to help them communicate with clarity, confidence, and lasting impact.