#4 Compelling Presentations and Emails

In this series, we look at 15 skills that add impact to your role, whether you work within an organisation or as a self-employed professional.

In previous editions, we looked at

#1: the power of context questioning,

#2: Co-creating insights with clients and

#3: Reframing requirements

Today we look at the art of compelling presentations and emails i.e. building consensus and common ground, having impact in senior-level communication.?

This is all about harnessing the key intelligence established in the preceding skills and presenting this with authority and impact. With many professionals, this means turning their usual narrative upside down, so as to lead with value rather than solutions. This is particularly vital when communicating at senior level, when people often deliver too much detailed content, and not enough value.

Presentations

How do you open your presentation? If you are using slides, what’s on the first two slides?

Here are some of the pitfalls worth avoiding:

• Leading with an introduction to you or your company. While introductions are appropriate, the first two slides is NOT the place to do them.
• Opening with a history e.g. effort to date to tackle this issue, a narrative of where we are on the project timeline.?
• Small talk or story-telling that has nothing to do with the issue in hand.

Particularly when dealing with senior people, it is vital to lead with the value. This could be the “Why” behind the project, the risks they should be concerned about, the potential sales/revenue that could be gained, the cost-savings or other non-financial benefits (or risks) that are at stake.

Value is always compelling, as long as this is anchored in solid evidence. The value of anything is the difference it makes, the reason why it’s important.

When I’m working with people to add impact to their presentations, most of this impact comes from highlighting the value; not from any superficial techniques of voice or storytelling. When the value is clear, particularly at the beginning, this makes a real difference to how senior leaders engage.?

Emails

Much the same is true in emails. The four-step structure that we often use in our workshops is:

• Situation: Open by summarising the specific situation you are addressing.?
• Issues / Complications: then outline the problems or complications or issues. Usually, this is where the value lies.
• Introduce your key question or insight: This will then make sense in the context of the situation and complications above.
• Then outline your proposed solution or recommendation.?

High-value professionals are adept at these skills. They gather vital information about value that adds power and impact to their work. They build relationships with key people. They impress right from the start with the questions they ask: questions that distinguish them from others. They uncover essential information that influences every subsequent step.

Advanced Consulting Skills, summary

For your reference, here is the full table of 15 advanced skills that add impact and value to all forms of professional work. In this edition, we covered #4. More to follow in subsequent newsletters.

#1. Context questioning

#2. Sharing insights, co-creating new insights with clients ?

#3. Reframing requirements?

#4. Exceeding expectations?

#5. Compelling presentations and emails

#6. Facilitation skills e.g. opening a meeting, wrapping up

#7. Boosting / maintaining project momentum?

#8. Influencing skills e.g. overcoming objections

#9. Discussing money & resources?

#10. Doing proposals with the client, not for the client

#11. Anticipating the next step of the journey during delivery

#12. Building rapport and empathy

#13. Uncovering and communicating value e.g. success stories

#14. Boosting client career-success, getting referrals

#15. Juggling competing commitments

Bringing skills to life

The fastest route to higher revenue is doing higher-value work. The simplicity of this is almost shocking.?

Almost everything else takes longer and/or costs more. Typical examples of higher value work undertaken by recent clients include:

• Tailoring a technical / financial / legal offer with up-front insights, so that the value is clearer
• Doing essentially the same work, but with better customers, who not only pay more but put more effort into the programme
• Challenging clients and partners to contribute more to the end-result
• Bringing fresh perspectives to clients so that your judgement is more respected
• Being fluent in the risks of adopting an inadequate/cheaper approach

Do you want to add more impact and value in your work??

If so, you are welcome to schedule a call here .

? John Niland, August 2024. For enquiries about John as coach or speaker, on topics of self-worth and professional identity,

seewww.selfworthacademy.com or email [email protected]