^{Meeting of board of directors, cooperative medical association. Greenbelt, Maryland | 1939 Aug | Library Of Congress}

In executive meetings, the stakes are high. Leaders are moving quickly between conversations and competing priorities. Decisions are often being made in real time, and executives need to quickly understand the issues at hand and what is needed to move forward.

Stepping into the boardroom for this type of presentation can feel daunting. To prepare, it’s important to understand how to frame information that will guide a productive discussion and lead to confident decision-making.

Here are three preparation strategies that will help you refine your approach for executive presentations.

1. Executive Presence

Presenting “up” is all about presence. The way you show up in these meetings impacts how you, and your ask, are perceived. If you rush in late or start fumbling through papers, it begins to erode your audience’s confidence in you. Good work can get overshadowed by a poor presentation.

There are five important signals of executive presence to keep in mind:

• Clarity means that you know the point you are making and you can summarize it in a sentence or two.
• Judgement enables you to decide what information is necessary for this discussion as well as what should not be included.
• Composure prevents you from over explaining or becoming defensive. Strong presenters listen carefully, pause and then respond.
• Context provides clues that you use to adapt to the mood of the room.
• Direction is how you stay focused on the decision that is needed and your recommendations for how to get there.

2. Framing

We are taught from an early age to frame discussions with the “W” questions: who, what, where, when and why. In the boardroom, however, clarity starts with the decision – not the background. Executive framing brings the ask and the outcome to the forefront of the conversation.

• What’s needed
• Why now
• Why it matters
• What’s recommended
• What’s next

This provides the necessary framework to support your recommendation and helps create a structured discussion about priorities and tradeoffs. Executive framing isn’t about simplifying the problem. Your role is to simplify the decision.

3. Adapting

In meetings, something unexpected almost always comes up. You should expect hiccups and disruptions. Presentation time may be cut down, attendees may be distracted or a skeptic could try to derail the discussion. You need to be well prepared to adapt to any scenario.

We recommend going by the four Ps: plan, predict, pressure-test and prepare.

Plan for changes in the agenda and technology failures. Predict what objections might be raised and what hard questions you may be asked. Talk with other leaders and team members before the meeting to pressure-test your approach, which helps you uncover skepticism and build allies.

Prepare several versions of your presentation, including a short elevator pitch style and a slightly longer overview. Although you may not present all the background information, you should still do your research and be prepared for a deeper discussion if needed.

Presentations affect what leaders hear, what they trust and what they prioritize. By strengthening your executive presence and putting in the prep work, communicators and business leaders help leaders better understand the risks, stakes and opportunities for important business decisions.