PART

III

Creating Winning
Executive Presentations

What matters at the top level is the content of your presentation. It is not a time to try to be entertaining or charismatic. The audience is there to make decisions and is under pressure to move quickly through the agenda. If the homework has been done, and the content is relevant and delivered in a timely manner, your listeners will overlook poor presentation style.

On the other hand, no one told me that they preferred a bad speaker. When it comes to content vs. delivery, go for content. Now, C-level executives are humans who, like any other audience, will be influenced (unconsciously) by how the message is delivered. A speaker who mumbles, looks at the floor, does not seem enthusiastic, and reads PowerPoint slides will have an uphill battle. Imagine two presenters competing for funding with the exact same content. One has poor delivery; the other shows up with energy and passion. Guess who wins?

With all this as background, Part III takes you through the critical issues that can lead to a successful presentation: content development and delivery style. You will learn why you must be able to facilitate as well as speak; why you must make your “first line your bottom line,” and why the dialogue is more critical than your visual aids. You will also learn the tricks of effective delivery. The executives don’t want to see a lot of razzle-dazzle, but they do want to see a speaker with energy. After reading Part III, you’ll have what it takes to win their hearts and their minds.