How to Present to Senior Executives: 8 Things Leaders Actually Want to See

Presenting to executives can feel like being on an episode of Dragon’s Den. Executives are short on time, and unlike regular audiences, they may interrupt you and steer your presentation into a different direction than you were expecting.

But executives are also human, like you. As long as you know what to expect from them and you prepare well, you don’t need to fear presenting to them.

In this guide, we’ll take you through how to present to executives and gain buy-in, based on our 20+ years experience at Body Talk coaching senior executives themselves.

1. Understand what senior executives want from a presentation

You’ve probably heard the advice to “know your audience” before giving a presentation. This becomes even more important when you’re presenting to executives, because they’re more likely to push back on ideas or stop you in your tracks if they don’t think your presentation is relevant to them.

So, how can you know your audience well enough to keep them engaged?

• Know who you’re presenting to. If you can, talk to the people you’ll be presenting to beforehand so that you can learn more about their needs, and plan how your presentation is going to meet them. Find out as much as you can about their specific pain points.
• Understand their mindset. Leaders have to think in terms of risks, opportunities, and outcomes. Barack Obama noted that one of the first things he discovered when he became President of the United States was that the decisions he had to make were never the easy ones. So make the decision to invest in you an easy one. Show them that you understand what the risk, opportunity and outcome is to them, and back your points with relevant data. Don’t be afraid of mentioning risks – executives expect them in any proposal – just make sure you say how you’ll mitigate them.

“The black-and-white questions never made it to me — somebody else on my staff would have already answered them.”

Barack Obama, Medium.

2. Lead with the headline

A lot of people make the mistake of starting their presentation by giving background information and building up to their point. But this would be the equivalent of telling someone you were hiring for their dream job, and then telling them all about the last person who was in the role. It’s technically relevant, but what they really want to know is whether the role meets their expectations, and how they can apply.

Consider how much background information they really need, and put it after your main point. Lead with what your audience has come to hear.

For example: “We’ve found that our workflows have doubled in speed after switching just two tasks to this new software. My recommendation is to move all of our operational tasks to this software, based on the data we’ve collected.”

3. Create a clear executive summary

Time-efficiency is important to executives because they have a lot of other things demanding their attention. If you let them know what to expect, they’re less likely to want to jump ahead.

Create a summary slide that executives can quickly scan, showing your key findings, recommendations, and next steps. For example:

Objective: Improve customer retention
Key finding: Customers are leaving due to slow digital experiences
Recommendation: Invest in platform improvements
Expected impact: 15% retention increase and £5m annual revenue opportunity
Decision required: Approve project funding by Q3

If you’re presenting a large number of slides, consider using summary slides before each set, and create an appendix slide so you can easily navigate back to each one as your audience asks questions.

4. Rehearse and ask for feedback

Keep in mind that you likely know your material and offer so well that your presentation may come across as incredibly convincing to you, but vague or hard to follow for someone else.

Practicing with a colleague or presentation coach can draw your attention to things you wouldn’t have thought of – ask them specific questions, like what they understood your main point to be, whether they were convinced by it, and why. A presentation coach can also coach you on other aspects of your presentation, like your body language and word choices.

As you rehearse, be careful not to rely on your script word-for-word. If an audience member asks you a question early on, which they are likely to do, you might find yourself getting thrown off. Instead, practice both running through your presentation uninterrupted, and answering questions from the person you’re practicing with throughout.

5. Use business storytelling

We’ve written before about the value of business storytelling in presentations. It’s about making it clear why your idea matters.

Start with the situation your audience is currently dealing with, for example, declining sales. Then take them on the journey to overcoming this challenge. It works similarly to the best films, which use tension to get you invested in the story, because you’re waiting for the conclusion in which the tension will be broken.

Storytelling like this also helps you to build an emotional connection with your audience, because you’re making it clear that you understand them and their challenges.

6. Make data tangible

Numbers and statistics are important to back your point, but they can be underwhelming by themselves, especially if you have a lot to share. It’s important to highlight exactly how your findings impact the people in the business day-to-day, and the business itself.

For example, you might say:

“We found a 20% increase in sales for method A, compared to 5% for method B. To put that into perspective, that difference is the entire stock of any one of our stores.”

You can also consider using visuals and charts, but make sure you’re only using them when they genuinely add value – not just because it’s an expectation. Too many details can overwhelm your audience and stop them from taking in the numbers fully.

7. Keep your presentation focused and avoid information overload

We often refer to the 7Cs of Communication, which are a framework for making your communication as effective as possible. The 7Cs are:

• Complete
• Concise
• Considerate
• Concrete
• Clear
• Courteous
• Correct

You’ll notice that “complete” and “concise” are both on the list, because you need to strike the balance between giving your audience too much information, and not giving them enough.

Most people worry more about not giving enough information, but end up switching their audience off because their presentation is too busy. If this is you, try being ruthless with your editing and see just how much you can cut down each section of your presentation to make it more impactful. It’s often a lot more than you think.

8. Build confidence before and during the presentation

What’s the best way to deal with unexpected questions or objections? Treat your presentation as a conversation more than a speech.

Think carefully about any points in your presentation that the specific people you’re presenting to might object to, and be prepared to answer the “so what?” for each slide. We mentioned practicing with other people earlier, which can also be a great way to anticipate any questions that might come up.

We also recommend visualisation – imagine yourself giving the presentation from start to finish and answering questions confidently, in as much detail as you can. Even if you don’t get asked the same questions as you prepared for, this makes the idea of being asked questions less intimidating, because you’ve already “practiced” it in your head.

You can find more of our tips in our objection handling guide, like:

• Listen and clarify. Make sure you understand what’s being asked, and clarify it with them if you need to.
• Don’t take objections personally. Focus on being calm and curious rather than defensive. In the majority of cases, executives aren’t asking you hard questions to be difficult – they’re asking them because they want to protect the business and avoid risk.
• Respond with a specific proposal. Instead of saying “We’ll do a pressure test to address that issue,” say “We can carry out pressure testing and have the results to you by July 2nd. Would that work for you?” This way, you’re involving them in the discussion more, and you’re not being rejected if they say no. You can simply look at more options and make another suggestion if that one doesn’t work.

Common mistakes to avoid when presenting to executives

What are some mistakes people often make when presenting to a leadership team?

Nervous habits

It’s normal to be nervous when you’re presenting, and especially so if it’s a high-stakes presentation. However, this can lead to habits like rushing or subconsciously making yourself smaller with your body language. Take the time to calm your mind before you present to set yourself up for success.

Using too much jargon

Using jargon can show an executive audience that you know the industry well, and that you respect that they do, as well. But make sure not to use it if you have any doubt that they will know these terms, and remember that jargon can make your presentation feel overcomplicated. Your goal should be to make your points straightforward and easy to grasp.

A simple framework for presenting to senior executives

Let’s recap our advice for presenting to an executive team. Whether it’s C-Suite executives or senior managers, you can use this simple framework for structuring your presentation:

• Define the objective and lead with the key message
• Include an executive summary to set expectations
• Highlight risks and opportunities using business storytelling
• Explain supporting evidence and recommend next steps, with a clear call to action
• Invite discussion where it makes sense, and be prepared for questions throughout

What’s the best way to improve your presentation skills?

The best way to improve your presentation skills is to understand what makes a good presentation. It can help to watch other strong presenters and take notes of their delivery, and then record yourself and look at where you could improve.

Interested in learning science-backed presentation skills? Book a training course from Body Talk, delivered by communication specialists with experience coaching the leaders you’re presenting to.

You’ll learn to:

• Engage the room with six essential body language techniques used by world-class speakers.
• Ignite your voice with advanced tools from actors and broadcasters. Whether you’re online or in the room, you’ll speak with clarity, energy and impact.
• Create irresistible messages using the GRID method, a proven system for storytelling, structure and persuasion.
• Handle any question with confidence using our ECPC technique.
• Master the art of influence by tapping into the psychology behind great advertising. Learn how the best brands persuade, and make it your own.

Find the right presentation skills training course for you or your team.

Frequently asked questions

We’ve answered some of your most common questions below.

What should the first slide of an executive presentation include?

The first slide of an executive presentation should include your key points, including the decision that needs to be made as well as the goal you’re aiming to achieve as a result of it, such as increased customer retention.

Consider making your first slide an executive summary to give your audience the information they’re interested in straight away, but make sure to include only what you need to. If you include too much, you risk overcrowding your slide – and the people you’re presenting to may begin reading it instead of listening to you.

How do you handle difficult questions from executives?

Before you give your presentation, make sure to practice answering questions on the spot. Ask someone, such as a colleague, to interrupt you as you rehearse, and tell them they’ll get bonus points for tough questions. This helps you to build confidence with handling interruptions.

When it comes to answering questions during your actual presentation, don’t be afraid to pause before replying. This gives you time to take in what you’ve been asked and gather your thoughts. It can also signify that what you’re about to say is important.

The best way to be able to answer any question that comes your way is to know your material and data well, so you can rely on it to back you up. Whilst being interrupted during your presentation can be daunting, try and frame questions positively in your mind – if you can answer them well, you can potentially create strong advocates in the executives you’re presenting to.

What makes an executive presentation effective?

To make an executive presentation effective, follow these points:

• Tailor to your audience. The better you can get to know the people you’re presenting to and what they care about, the better.
• Focus on what your audience really needs to hear. Make sure to avoid “fluff.” This is often easier said than done, but executives will notice and potentially stop you if they think what you’re saying isn’t relevant.
• Back your points. Use ethos, pathos, and logos to effectively present your findings – a framework for persuading people to come around to your point of view. This is especially important in a high-stakes meeting, where executives will be looking hard at your evidence.

What is executive presence?

Executive presence is what makes someone the kind of leader people want to follow. If someone has executive presence, they inspire confidence and loyalty in you.

Developing executive presence can be a great asset when you’re presenting to senior management, because it helps you to come across as someone they can trust. Find out how to develop your executive presence here.

What is the best way to design slides for executive presentations?

The best way to design PowerPoint slides for executive presentations is to follow these general rules:

• Use slides as outlines rather than detailed documents, as you want your audience to listen to you rather than focus on reading the slides. Executives are also unlikely to take the time to read wordy slides.
• Visual data is processed faster than text, so use simple charts if they add value, and minimal text. Remember that your slides should be there to support what you’re saying, rather than the other way around.

What can you expect when presenting to board members?

When presenting to board members, you can expect that they’ll be focused on risk, and they may interrupt you to discuss anything that concerns them. Decision makers usually have limited time, so they’ll prefer you to get straight to your request and why you’re asking for it.

What is the biggest mistake people make when presenting to senior leadership?

The biggest mistake people make when giving presentations to senior leaders for the first time is being too vague or overexplaining. These sound like contradictions, but they can happen at the same time. People often spend a long time explaining the background of the project and their method, and then build up to asking for their request. To senior leaders, this feels like you’re giving them more information than they need, at the same time as not being direct enough about what you’re pitching to them.

It should be clear from the start what your idea is, and the effect it will have on the company. Remember that leaders have to make a lot of high-stakes decisions, and the simpler you can make it to understand yours, the better.