Aristotle wisely proclaimed, “Tell them what you are going to say, say it, and tell them what you said.” This enduring advice serves as the cornerstone for every successful presentation. In today’s dynamic business environment, where C-level executives play a pivotal role, mastering the art of effective presentation is paramount.

This course is designed to reduce the ambiguity around presenting to the C-Suite.  In the dynamic world of global business, decisions made at the C-Suite have far-ranging consequences. Their decisions shape the trajectory of an organization and may inadvertently impact someone’s personal career.

These leaders have discerning attention spans and expect presentations tailored to their unique requirements and aspirations. Failure to deliver can harm your credibility and tarnish your department's reputation, jeopardizing critical business objectives.

The reason is that C-Suite professionals have discerning attention spans and expectations that presentations be prepared particularly. Most classes focus on the impact on a person’s career. However, this course focus on selling into the C-Suite and the need to create unique presentations different than any others given within companies.

The psychology of a C-Suite professional will be covered to understand how the way they think is fundamentally different. This is used to create 20 key points that need to be addressed in presentations to ensure success. These will be explored in greater detail including why researching the C-Suite professional’s specific needs and preferences is necessary. Additionally, the role visuals play in C-Suite presentations but importantly, the difference between tactical and strategic thinking and how ideas are presented. Discussed will be how to use the Pyramid Thinking technique as an approach.

Beyond the content, there are techniques that will be discussed for how to plan and prepare a presentation. This includes how to convey messaging and finding and getting directly to the point.

Also, not all C-Suite executives manage their time the same way, of course. Some tightly schedule their time with no space open for flexibility. Other executives are more flexible, with allowances especially for brilliant, well-delivered solutions to their most challenging problems.

Areas Covered

Course Level- Basic/Fundamental, Intermediate

Who Should Attend

Why Should You Attend

You should have learned early that if you have a problem, always come to leadership with a solution. This is never truer than when you are meeting with people in the C-suite.

If you are trying to win new business or move up the chain of command, the limited time you have in front of a C-Suite executive is a critical make-or-break moment. Most likely, if you screw it up, you will never get an opportunity for another audience to redeem yourself.

The C-suite is anyone with a Chief in their title including, but not limited to: Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Legal Officer (aka General Counsel), Chief Information Technology Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, Chief Diversity Officer and Chief Safety Officer.

Presenting to the C-Suite has long reaching consequences. Therefore, specific attention must be paid to the type of content presented, how it is presented, and the type of high-level aesthetics used when presenting.

This course covers the skills needed when engaging with the C-Suite including strategic verbal and non-verbal communication, problems and solution positioning, presentation slide deck design aesthetics and formats, time management, research and data management.

While the course will focus on what to do when you have the opportunity to speak to the C-suite, it will also cover what not to do. The emphasis is designed to create a realization that when engaging with the C-suite, it is a hot spotlight that you have to be prepared and practiced for in order to succeed.