Post on 15-Apr-2017
Speaking in
Small Rooms
with Confidence
My Boss Me
Why Small Rooms
Require a Different
Talk Strategy?
Brian Sullivan. Hi, my name is
@BrianKSullivan @bigdesign
#smalltalk
Research and Testing Expert
Director of UX Operations at Sabre, where I run three User Research labs.
UX Dallas Founder & President
Writer of Books and Articles
International Speaker
Keynote Author on SlideShare
Founder of Big Design Conferences
Big rooms require a certain talk strategy.
Small rooms require a different approach.
People Conversations Stakes
Planning Presentation Delivery
My Boss Me
Planning Presentation Delivery
Planning for a Small Room of Executives
Preparation
Determines
Success
Stages Multiplier (by time) 50 Minute Talk
Researching Multiply by 2 100 minutes
Building Slides Multiply by 2 100 minutes
Practicing Multiply by 2 100 minutes
Updating Slides Multiply by 1 50 minutes
“Pre-Talk” Talks Multiply by 2 100 minutes
Back Channel Multiply by 2-3 100-150 minutes
Planning Formula
Use the Right Speed, Balance, and Altitude
Airspeed Indicator Attitude Gyro Altimeter
10,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10
min
20
min
30
min
40
min
50
min
10,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10
min
20
min
30
min
40
min
50
min
10,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10
min
20
min
30
min
40
min
50
min
“I need you at 50,000 feet. You are at about 5,000 feet now.”
8am 8am 8am
2pm
3pm
Plan for Interruptions and Questions
Practice
• Your stories
• Main points on each slide
• Transitions
• Answers to questions
• Objections from people
• The flow of the slides
• Your tone of voice
Planning Presentation Delivery
Tips for Building an Executive Presentation
Do less…better!!!
1 slide/10 minutes
is a good rule.
18 Slides Took Over 90 Minutes
Conversation Types:
• Personal Connection
• Friendly Conversation
• Problem Investigation
• Possible Solutions
• Political Discussions
• Personal Motives
Your Relationship
• Person
• Employee
• Management
• Supplier
• Partner
• Trusted Advisor
Person
Trusted
Advisor
Partner
Supplier
Employee
Personal
Connection
Friendly
Conversation
Problem
Investigation
Possible
Solutions
Political
Discussions
Personal
Motives
Management
• Image association and recognition
• Internal dialogue
• Nonverbal communication
• Technical communications
• Intersecting activity or common ground
• Business operations language
• Confidential C-level language
The goal of a C-level
meeting is to get an
executive to expose
their internal dialogue
to you.
Three Keys to Success
1. Communicate Business Goals
2. Communicate in Terms of Risk
3. Envision a Future State
Bosses Have Bosses, Too
CEO Board of Directors
“I need you to craft this story in just 10 slides!”
Stories are Better Than Data
Stories Data
Basic Formula
• What? (3-4 slides)
The topic you want to discuss.
• So What? (2-3 slides)
The relevance of this topic.
• Now What? (3-4 slides)
The next steps to take.
Planning Presentation Delivery
Delivery Tips for an Executive Presentation
This small room can be terrifying to people.
Executive Sport?
Execuphobia:
It is an unhealthy fear
of C-level executives.
It is a real fear.
Executives Have a Lot of Fears, Too
CEO
• Fear of failure
• Loss of reputation
• Lawsuits
• Competitor moves
• Regulations
• Loss of customers
• Not hitting sales goals
• Wall Street
Body Language Matters with Executives
No Eye Contact Weak Handshake Slouching
Folded Arms Frowning Looking Down
Body Language Matters with Executives
No Eye Contact Weak Handshake Slouching
Folded Arms Frowning Looking Down
It’s about the
Situation,
not the
Presentation.
Work on Executive Presence
Executive presence is the ability
to project gravitas with others.
• Extreme confidence
• Poise under pressure
• Decisiveness
• Effective communication
• Ability to read situations
• Assertiveness
• Risk management
Make Executives Feel Special
• Maintain eye contact
• Listen to them
• Ask good questions
• Lean forward
• Use acknowledge tokens
• Don’t interrupt
• Use their first name
• Don’t speak over someone
Make Each Executive Feel Like the Only Person in the Room
Know the Subtext of a Question
The Subtext Might Be
Planning Presentation Delivery
Planning for a Small Room of Executives
Tips for Building an Executive Presentation
Delivery Tips for an Executive Presentation
Your Boss You
Speaking in
Small Rooms
with Confidence
Speaking in
Small Rooms
with Confidence