
For some it's the moment they've been waiting for their whole career whilst others live in hope that it will never happen to them.
That moment is when you are called on to present to their executive team.
Well the day has arrived and there is only one thing you know for certain, you can't afford to mess it up; your reputation and future depends on you making it count.
I've been on both sides of the fence.
I still remember my very first time presenting to the exec; What if they get bored? What if they ask me a question I can't answer? What if I freeze? Surely they are far too busy to want to listen to me?
Years later sitting on the other side of the table as a member of the executive team listening to others present, the internal dialogue was a little different.
I hope they get straight to the point.
I hope it's not another nervous wreck.
I hope they don't just dump a load of data on me.
Please, please don't just read your slides
When I hold training workshops, one of the very first things I do is give the delegates a badge to wear for the entire day. It's a big yellow badge with 5 big bold black letters printed on it:
PMMFS
Please Make Me Feel Something
That's exactly what your executive wants from you. They've already got all of the data and charts they can handle. Now, they want something else and it's within your gift to give it to them. The route to delivering a high impact presentation to the executive team or anyone else for that matter is to stop fretting and start to focus.
The following tips will help you to not only make a lasting impression but will go a long way to both you and your audience enjoying the experience too.
Show them the future
After all that's exactly where most senior managers live, with one foot squarely in the future. They spend far too much time 'firefighting' and nothing gives them greater pleasure than to see the possibilities and opportunities available to them.
Whether it's a project update, a quarterly report or a new initiative show them how what you have to say will make a tangible difference, take them somewhere they long to be.
Challenge the status quo
Just because everyone else sits at the end of the table staring at the screen as they read their slides, you don't have to and they don't want you to.
Ditch the slides and have a conversation.
Tell them the story behind what you have to say.
Make it relevant
Don't craft and deliver you presentation to show them how much you know and how hard you've worked. Instead make sure that everything you say is completely relevant to them. Let them see that you understand and care about what keeps them awake at night and what's at the forefront of their minds and get straight to the point.
Give them what they need
Give them examples
Most business presentations are far too long and can be given in half the time. Make sure you use their time wisely. Get their attention, give them your message and then bring it to life with clear and compelling examples of what you're trying to say. Help them to see and feel what you are saying as well as hear it.
Help them to remember
Most professionals focus their efforts on ensuring their audience understands their message which of course is always a good starting point, however, it's not enough.
They can understand every word you say and then just as easily walk out of the door and forget it. Don't let that happen, help them to remember your message so they act on it.
To achieve that you must make it personal to them by creating an emotional connection as well as an intellectual one.
You can do that by using anecdotes, metaphors, contrast, surprises, stories and drama.
Make it personal to them.
Spell it out
Don't make the mistake that many presenters do and spend time on small talk, jargon and trying to sound clever, tell them what you've come to say that's so important and make it crystal clear.
You should only go in with one message which you deliver up front and everything else you say should support your message. The executive won't have time to try to interpret what you are trying to say so spell it out.
The best way to follow these tips is ask yourself two questions before you sit down to consider and craft the content of your presentation.
The first question is:
What's my objective? - What do I want to happen when I've finished speaking, in other words what do I want them to do.
The second is:
What's my intention? - The way you answer this question will dictate whether or not you achieve your objective. Your intention is what you want them to feel.
Remember
PMMFS
Please Make Me Feel Something
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