Recently one of my executive manager clients mentioned that he regularly sees his colleagues – when presenting to senior audiences – ‘cram too much information’ into their allotted speaking time.

Here are the results of cramming in too much information:

• You rush through the presentation.
• Due to rushing, your key messages are not clearly heard and understood.
• The rushed speaking signals junior behaviour.

Own the Conversation

Implementation idea

For your next presentation to a senior executive audience:

• Plan for ‘slippage time’. That is, if you have 15 minutes to present, plan to speak for only 10 minutes, allowing for extra time in case the meeting is running off schedule etc. (No one minds a presentation that finishes early).
• Use a simple delivery structure. One structure that is effective for the opening of a presentation for a senior executive audience is: State the Message, Flesh out the message, Repeat the message.