I have found presenting to senior leaders very nerve-racking, and this wasn’t because I didn’t know my stuff. It was because I didn’t prepare in the right way and became nervous when engaging with important stakeholders. Over the years, I’ve tried various tactics to help me with my nerves and have found the best preparation method to help me focus and deliver. Below are top 5 tips on how to set up yourself for success when presenting to senior leaders.
- Know what the objectives are
Knowing what the objectives of the meeting is sounds pretty obvious. However, you’d be surprised how many people walk into meetings with senior stakeholders clueless. I was recently approached to provide information and be present at a meeting involving the leadership team. When I had asked the person who was leading the meeting on what the goals and expectations are, he wasn’t sure himself and tried to guess what information I could pull. My alarm bells were ringing. I pushed back and asked him to provide me with the objectives and detailed information in our next catch-up. I followed this up with an email to ensure that I had proof in writing. It may seem trivial, but when you see the signs that an efficient plan isn’t being executed, it’s important to have everything documented. When you understand what the expectations are, it’s easier to start the preparation process and give yourself plenty of time.
2. Work collaboratively with others
Most often when you have to pull together a presentation, you’ll need information from various other areas of the business to help build a fluid story. Once you know what the objectives are,it’s important to involve other colleagues who can provide you with the necessary resources and support. If you’re going to be working with others, give them as much time as possible and agree on check-in days to review all of the content and discussion points. To get buy-in from colleagues, I have found that letting them know how this would benefit them and their visibility with senior stakeholders, seems to do the trick. Who doesn’t want their good work shown in the right places?
3. Have a PowerPoint template ready
There will be times where you only have a few days and not weeks to prepare a presentation. Having a go-to PowerPoint template which you can use and tweak for meetings with senior leaders will make your corporate life so much easier. Once you understand the type of information they are seeking, you can create a template that addresses the core areas and add additional slides for any new information. This saves a lot of time and will answer key questions senior managers are after.
4. Create a running track
Not all presentations have to take place in offices. COVID-19 changed the way worked and now, most meetings can be done online. I now present my screen on one screen and have a running track (similar to a script) on the screen which has my camera on. This means that I’m able to read off my screen alongside my slides at the same time. It has truly helped me create seamless presentations that have received positive feedback. You don’t have to have everything written word for word on your running track, but having something on your running track will keep you from stumbling over your words and keep your nerves in check.
5. Rehearse, rehearse and rehearse
Don’t let the first time you present be in front of senior stakeholders. Make sure to practice before and send your final presentation to your manager or colleagues to iron out any kinks. Also, prepare any questions which may come your way and identify any gaps that you’ve missed. Practicing will make you more confident and will also help you to understand the information much better. If any questions gets asked during the presentation you’re not sure of, be honest and say that you’ll follow up. They’ll respect this more than you making it up on the spot and it not making sense.
Finally, presenting to senior leaders is never easy, but practice makes perfect. I’ve not done so well in some, but I’ve used it as motivation to keep getting better.
See you in my next post!
