HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations (HBR Guide Series)

Present Clearly and Concisely to Senior Executives

Senior executives are a tough segment to reach. They usually have very little time in their schedules to give you. Though that’s true of many audiences, what sets this crowd apart is that they need to make huge decisions based on accurate information delivered quickly. Long presentations with a big reveal at the end do not work for them. They’ll want you to get to the bottom line right away—and they often won’t let you finish your shtick without interrupting. (Never mind that you would have answered their questions if they’d just let you get through the next three slides.)

When presenting to an audience of senior executives, do everything you can to make their decision making easier and more ...