Many people present so well that they get away with the most outlandish lies, and I'm reminded of Glen Oakley, who at the time of his unmasking was the chief executive of Newcastle Port Corporation. My Oakley had such faith in his fictitious degrees, some from Australian universities, that he listed them in Who's Who in Australia.

I have noticed over the years that many successful and senior managers present so well that whether they have other gifts is irrelevant. Some seem devoid of abilities beyond presentation. And I have come to believe that the most valuable attribute for ambitious people is the capacity to present well.

There's another side to this. When I was having treatment four years ago for throat cancer I encountered quite a number of specialist doctors, and I was taken aback by the lack of presentation of most of them. Once, while sitting in a room in a Sydney hospital waiting to see a man I'd been told was one of the world's leaders in his field, I was startled when the cleaner shuffling about the room walked behind me and started feeling my neck! Others wore the right clothes, if a tie is right, but had an awkwardness that seemed to betray discomfort. They didn't inspire immediate confidence, and I would say that is because their gifts and personality make no concession to illusion. As you probably know, I owe the fact that I am alive today to their skills and commitment.

I mention this to illustrate my belief that presentation has a much greater impact on us than is warranted. I wouldn't mind betting that the 18-year-old Miles Mehta won the confidence of a great many more people more readily than could many, even most, of the specialist doctors I encountered in my journey to a cure. Does your experience echo this?