Basics of giving Exec. Briefings

Imagine you need executive approval. You have prepped a powerpoint pitch / storyboard / memo. You have slaved over it. Rewritten it. Validated it.  You are offered an appointment/audience on the calendar in two weeks but the time is really now. Suddenly, you spot the executive on their way to the washroom. (or in an elevator or at the coffee machine... In all honesty, I always found them in the three precious minutes they stole from a meeting to stride purposefully to the washroom.) There's no time to show a piece of paper or ask for a glance at a computer screen. Now. You can brief them Now.

Are you ready to:

• Keep ask narrow & specific
• Summarize in 2 minutes or less
• State it aloud - Don't rely on a ppt or paper

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#1 Lead with Relevance:

• The main thing they need to know
• Why is this important to executive
• Who else cares

Follow with Supposition

• The action we could take
• Alternatives if required

Support with evidence

• How do we know what we know
• What is source and how reliable is it

Add connections

• How this is connected to other things
• Where it may have happened before
• Cause /effect

#2 Recap

• Here's what you need to know; how we all feel about it; what we propose you need to do

The less urgent the audience's need to go the washroom… the more of the list can be covered.

But prepare to only have time to do top/bottom of list. The more time is crunched, the more one cuts out of the middle.

Dear Dennie #2 - mentoring 101

A monthly letter/column as written for & published also by Women in Transportation Services

Mentoring 101
Dear Dennie,

I have trouble speaking up at meetings. I was told to stand like Superman to get my confidence up. It didn’t work. Plus it was awkward to do it at a team meeting while everyone else was sitting. Any other advice?

No cape; no voice

Dear NCNV,

That is a great conversation to hold with your mentor: In what ways we are quieted? What holds our voice back?

Common fears include:

•      Not being prepared

•      Not knowing what to say

•      People laughing

•      Stuttering or other vocal slurring

•      Hurting someone

•      Boring someone

We may silence ourselves with fears or uncertainties, yet sometimes external factors keep us quiet. Others might try to silence us. (e.g. Don’t mention X; the executive hates X) We might allow ourselves to be silenced by following unspoken rules (e.g. I’m the junior in the room and should speak only when asked).

Ask yourself a few questions to help you decide:

1.    Is the information supportive of the agenda or other people involved in the conversation?

2.    Who needs to know I know that? Why?

3.    What’s more important at this particular moment – my comfort or my voice?

Choose to be silent. Others or your own worries should not choose for you.

Now, ask me anything.... :-)

dennie

A simple framework: Making communications more effective

People are listening for one thing, “How does this affect me?” 

Make sure all your communications - slides, voice messages, texts, emails, etc. – follow Know Feel Do.  

·     What’s the one thing my audience needs to know? (One point. One sentence)

·     How do I hope they feel about it (Do my tone, words, attitude reflect this?)

·     What do I want them to immediately do with the information (Remember: FYI is NOT a call-to-action)

I

f you’re missing the “know” or “do,” your communication may not be relevant to the receiver(s) and ignored. 

If you’re missing the “do,” ask yourself: Does this really need to be sent?

Google the framework; there are lots of great overviews like this one: http://www.alexandrafranzen.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/feel-know-do_free-workbook_franzen.pdf


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