If you\u2019re leading an important project, chances are you\u2019ll need to communicate with senior executives. Whether it\u2019s a presentation to a group or one-on-one, how do you get executives to listen to you?
\nHere are a few reminders …<\/p>\n
: Do Your homework! You probably know the project in detail but, be able to package it in the right format. Less is more in these settings. Know the detail, and be prepared and able to answer difficult questions. \u2013 but not with boring protracted technical answers.<\/p>\n
: You\u2019re talking to people with busy schedules, people who often responsible for the livelihood of many others. Be respectful by being prepared. You\u2019re there to provide an informational snapshot of the company\u2019s investment in a business problem. So, couch the presentation and discussion about the business.<\/p>\n
: You want your presentation to informational, interesting, and concise. Run your entire presentation by a colleague who will serve as an honest coach \u2013 multiple times if necessary (which is usually the case). Find someone who\u2019s been successful in this area. Is your message clear and crisp? Do your slides boil everything down to the key points? What doesn’t add to your message? Are there gaps?<\/p>\n
: Knowing your project, and calmly and concisely articulate your message will go a long way to increasing your confidence. A calm, commanding presentation is what leaders appreciate. It demonstrates that you\u2019re in control, and the project is in good hands. Leaders feel will like this is time well spent and think highly of you and your professionalism.<\/p>\n
: Time literally is money. These meetings are much more expensive than most. You\u2019re there to present brief but informational slides. Have a rule that will keep you honest. Some people use a rule of 5, meaning a status to execs will not exceed 5 slides \u2013 or whatever that number is, but stick to your rule. One executive I worked with would not sit through a project presentation that exceeded 4 slides. Several informational slides about …
\nthe overall project status
\nthe schedule status
\nthe budget status
\nissues requiring their support<\/p>\n
: The execs can read, don\u2019t insult them or you by reading your slides. Summarize, expand, clarify, but never read. For example, you might summarize the slide in a sentence, or a few words. They\u2019re reading as your talking. Similarly, slides should be uncluttered and easy-to-understand. Busy slides are a sign of sloppiness, and suggests that you\u2019re a novice. I find that a slide that exceed 4 or 5 bullets is too busy. Decide what works for you, and never\/rarely deviate.
\nEnd on Time: Wrapping up a few minutes early is fine but never go over your allotted time. If there are more questions than you time permits, ask the senior most person in the room if you should answer questions or schedule another meeting. Given the choice I usually opt for another meeting.
\nThis may sound like a lot of work but making a presentation seem effortless can often require a lot of, well, effort. But presenting to your executives is an important responsibility, and a great way to build strong project advocates. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you\u2019re leading an important project, chances are you\u2019ll need to communicate with senior executives. Whether it\u2019s a presentation to a group or one-on-one, how do you get executives to listen to you? Here are a few reminders … Know […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","clearfix"],"yoast_head":"\n