By Sunday Tollefson, MBA, PMP® 

This week's microlearning subject is the final in a nine-part series from the book "How to be a Star at Work: 9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed" by Robert E Kelley.

The ninth strategy is SHOW-AND-TELL.

Even if you are technically proficient, conveying your ideas is imperative to avoid the dismissal of  your ideas. You must influence your audience to trust you and your expertise. 

Star performers master the ability to deliver a message to a specific audience, to persuade listeners to accept the message, and are proactive in deflecting criticism. Stars also contact audience members ahead of presentations to evaluate expectations.

Rather than organizing the material meticulously, stars organize presentations around the audience. Stars use storytelling, rather than data sharing, because they know that good stories engage the listener. They use plots with turns, tension, resolved conflict, humor, and images to create...