Stop 09 · Stakeholder Management & CommunicationTopics · 6/9

Presenting to Executives

In short

A director gives you ten minutes and checks their phone after two. If your main point isn't in those first two minutes, it may never land. Executive communication flips how you normally tell a story.

Leaders have limited time and context — effective executive communication leads with the takeaway, uses data to support the point, and anticipates the first 2-3 questions they'll ask.

The purple blob stands confidently beside a big presentation board showing a single bold upward arrow.

Think of it like this

Dad walks in during the match

Dad walks in and asks, 'Score?' You don't describe every over since lunch. You say, 'India need 40 off 30 balls, Kohli's still in, should be fine.' Result first, then the detail only if he asks.

Watch it happen

Same content, two orders

Story order

Background, method, findings
Recommendation on the last slide
Executive is lost by slide four

Executive order

Recommendation and ask, first
Three supporting points with data
Details in the appendix if asked

Lead with the answer. Executives can dig into the 'why' if they want, but they should never have to wait for the 'what'.

The big ideas

What you need to know

Bottom line up front

Open with the decision or recommendation and what you need from them today.

Three points, max

Support it with up to three reasons. More than that and none of them stick.

One chart per point

Show the single number or trend that proves it, labelled clearly. Skip decorative charts.

Rehearse the questions

Predict the first two or three questions, like cost, risk and timeline, and have crisp answers ready.

Save yourself the pain

Common mistakes

Oops

Spending the first five minutes on background and methodology.

Do this instead

Open with 'I recommend X, it costs Y, and I need your approval today'. Background comes after, if needed.

Oops

Answering a yes/no question with a long story.

Do this instead

Answer 'yes' or 'no' first, then one sentence of reason. Offer more detail if they want it.

Your mission

Three-bullet rewrite

~20 min

Quick check

You have five minutes with the COO to get budget approval. How should you open?

Go deeper

1Rewrite a detailed status update into a 3-bullet executive summary.
2Practice the 'answer first' structure: conclusion, then supporting evidence.
3Anticipate and pre-answer the hardest question a skeptical executive would ask.