How Can I Impress My Boss? Tips, Tricks, & Techniques for a Board Presentation
You may have all the technical skills for your job role, but can you present your ideas effectively to the people that matter? Presentation skills, communication skills, and even public speaking skills are increasingly the key soft people skills to look out for in the modern workplace. Your leadership team may be on the lookout for the next eloquent or persuasive communicator who can connect with any audience they are speaking to (including themselves!).
A board or leadership presentation is a high-stakes, high-stress communication setting, often with a lot riding on it. The threshold for attention and focus is high, and if you are unable to impress in that short presentation space given to you, the consequences may be less than desirable. There are, however, a few techniques you can immediately apply to make that first board presentation a resounding success. Here are three simple techniques you can try!
Technique #1: Prepare Your [By-The-Way] Script
The most powerful adage to keep in mind is that quality is better than quantity. It is always easier to pack your presentation to the brim; it is more difficult to cut through the meat of your script and deliver the main message/points. Resist the temptation to ‘show-off’ what you know and understand what your board/leadership team is interested in. This process may require you to dedicate more time to the presentation preparation. After all, you are preparing for a board meeting!
One method to explore is to craft a by-the-way script. Imagine that instead of a dedicated presentation, you have to deliver your main points to your board as you are passing by them along a corridor. You will need to digest the main deliverables or action points from your script and deliver them in a clear, precise, and concise manner. Think of it this way – if your presentation was an information brief for your board to read on the way to a meeting, what would appear in the first minutes of your presentation?
Technique #2: “Raise the Red Flags”
If you are selected to make the board presentation, you are likely to be a key figure in your corporate set-up or company. Aside from the sheer responsibility, you also have to carry the weight of ensuring that all information conveyed is accurate and effective. A misquoted article or an inaccurate statistic may form the basis of a damaging decision to your company! What should you look out for when delivering a board presentation?
We recommend identifying and raising the “red flags” of your presentation instead of hiding them. For example, if a decision requires an assessment of inputs from the Finance and Logistics Department, ensure that the factors for consideration are summarised for your board. Guide them through the decision-making process by picking out the landmines they need to avoid (e.g., there are three factors to keep in mind …”).
Technique #3: Voice Out (3Ps)!
Your delivery techniques are as important as your presentation content crafting process in such a stressful communication setting. Beyond focusing on the information to deliver, start thinking about how you should deliver them. For a typical presentation or speech setting, we tend to look out for the speaker’s body language features (e.g., eye contact, hand gestures). These non-verbal aspects of your communication can help give you an edge in impressing your board.
A key body language to adopt in such a leadership/persuasive scenario is to focus on your vocal quality, variety, and emphasis. Vocal quality looks into the clarity of your voice profile – you want to maintain a steady pace, strong volume, and ample use of pauses. Vocal variety unpacks your voice modulation tendencies. Instead of sticking to the same pace throughout, you can add changes in your volume delivery to grab the audience’s attention. Vocal emphasis then considers how you can use your voice to bring your board’s attention to the main point. Use changes in pace, power, or pitch to achieve that effect!
*** Enunciate (for Clarity), Enthuse (for Energy/ Excitement) ***
All the Best!
A board/leadership presentation is not easy, but if you find yourself preparing for one, you know that you can cement a strong impression if you nail the presentation. These types of high-stress communication settings build on techniques that apply in a typical speech setting. Once you master them, you can develop as a powerful and versatile communicator. If you find yourself facing the burden of a board/leadership presentation, try out these techniques!
By The Way…
If you are keen to take your public speaking skills & presentation skills (either business/corporate presentation / kids in-class presentation) to the next level so that you may communicate and deliver speeches with greater flair and charisma, feel free to check out our public speaking/ presentation skills course for adults and public speaking course for children below!
For more about our (weekly group classes) Public Speaking/ Presentation Skills Course for Adults :
https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/courses-and-programs/group-classes-for-adults/
If you are looking for a 2-day intensive public speaking/ presentation skills course for adults instead (for our adult learners who can’t do weekends), learn more about our presentation skills training course here: https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/presentation-skills-training-course-by-world-champion/
If you are looking for Public Speaking/ Presentation Courses for Kids / Children:
https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/group-classes-students-age-9-18/
If you are a human resources manager/ business owner in your company…
We want to help you bring out the best in your team, organization, and company. Public speaking and communication skills for the workplace, such as persuasion, remain a priority for most corporate training out there. We believe in staying ahead of the curve in sharing the contemporary communication skills to help you and your team remain relevant, competitive and nimble. Through our customized corporate training programmes, your team will benefit from an in-depth, hands-on, and potential-maximising public speaking & presentation skills training programme!
Feel free to reach out to us to curate your own public speaking corporate training programme for your team, company, or organization! Let us help you develop them into highly effective public speakers at work, empowered with effective presentation skills & storytelling skills – them giving speeches with charisma, influence and impact is something you can look forward to!
For effective presentation skills training & public speaking training for corporates/ employees: https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/corporate-public-speaking-training-workshop/