Justin Sargent

Picking someone you trust and have rapport with is the best risk mitigation strategy. But this isn’t always possible, particularly in a corporate environment where your boss asks the two of you to present. In fact sometimes a boss will actually ask two “opposites” to work together on a presentation as a means of driving more cohesion/assessing leadership maturity (I know because I’ve done this!). Pre-alignment is critical. Rehearse if you have time. Agree up-front any points of disagreement so they don’t surface unexpectedly. Have a phrase that one person will say so both people understand it’s time to move on. And if all else fails make sure you have the clicker so you can control the charts!!

The temptation with a new client presentation is to talk predominantly about your own business and what you can offer. After all, you want to sell your solution, right? The trick is to resist this and instead talk predominantly about their business, demonstrating what you know about them, their opportunities, their challenges. Once a client realises that you know their business intimately then the trust and respect is built, and it is a much better time to then introduce your own capabilities and how you can help.

If you are only given an hour’s notice to deliver a presentation then the first thing is not to panic! Focus in on what are going to be your 2 or 3 key messages, quickly map out your flow (and any relevant stories) to get to those messages, and then write down your opening and closing sentence (light start, powerful finish as I’ve written about before). Don’t spend time creating fancy graphics or charts, better to spend the limited time you have on messaging. Whilst short notice presentations can be stressful, if you can keep calm and follow the steps above then you can deliver a great show. And remember, if the worst comes to the worst and you don’t shine you have a great excuse!

The more senior you become, then the more often you’ll need to present. So mastering this skill early in your career pays dividends. Not only does it help you stand out, it also helps you structure your thoughts and get across your messages clearly. Additionally it helps builds confidence - which also has many other benefits such as contributing more expansively in meetings. Strong communication skills are important for career advancement - and presentations are an important element.

First written draft of the press release should be all about the content…focusing solely on the key messages you want to put across. After that first draft then get someone else to review and re-write (if needed) from a values lense. Be uncompromising eg if your value is integrity, are you sharing all the facts? if your value is innovation, are you conveying new thinking in your messaging? if your value is accountability, are you taking ownership of the situation? Etc A 2 step process separating out content and values will help drive alignment.

My first ever presentation was absolutely terrible! I was a bag of nerves, stumbling over my words, unable to deliver any sort of coherent message. I remember thinking this is my baseline, I cannot get any worse! The only way is up. And sure enough, by working on different aspects of presentation techniques, experimenting and practising, I not only turned a weakness into a strength but found myself actually relishing rather than dreading those moments on stage. An improvement mindset is key - focus on 1 or 2 items at a time, master them and move onto the next items. Before you know it you’ll be looking for every possible opportunity to present!