msnbc article on presentation

Giuliani gets it. People associate eye contact with honesty, trustworthiness, sincerity, confidence — all the traits you strive toward to make yourself a great business communicator. We like people who look us in the eye. Venture capitalists tell me that when entrepreneurs look down during their presentations, the energy drains from their performance.

Presentations fall flat when you can't see someone's eyes. Donald Trump thinks so. During one of the now-famous board meetings at the end of "The Apprentice," a young man named Troy was arguing his case in front of Trump, pleading with the billionaire not to fire him. I remember Trump barking at Troy for relying on notes he had written on a pad. Trump said he hates it when people read from notes. Troy was, indeed, fired.