Introduction
An executive presentation should help an audience make a decision within limited time. This programme focuses on turning a professional topic and its evidence into a clear problem statement, options, recommendation and request, while explaining assumptions and evidence limitations.
Participants select a non-confidential presentation case, analyze audience needs and develop the message structure, slides and speaking notes. They practise delivery, timing, questions and objections, then use feedback to refine the presentation and document decisions and follow-up.
Learning objectives
- Identify the required decision, executive audience needs and a clear central message.
- Build an argument connecting the problem with evidence, alternatives, a recommendation and expected implications.
- Design slides and charts that present decision-relevant information clearly and honestly.
- Deliver within the available time and address questions, objections and limits to knowledge.
- Refine the presentation using assessment criteria and document resulting decisions and actions.
Learning areas
1. Audience analysis and the decision message
- Determine whether the presentation seeks a decision, resources, direction or an update for the audience.
- Analyze participants' responsibilities, interests and prior knowledge to identify information needed for the decision.
- Write a central message combining the recommendation and its strongest supporting reason in clear language.
- Define the scope and available time, moving supporting detail to an appendix when appropriate.
- Prepare a brief connecting the audience, decision request, likely questions and evidence needed to answer.
2. Building the argument and presentation structure
- Explain the problem, context and impact using specific evidence while distinguishing facts, estimates and assumptions.
- Present comparable alternatives with selection criteria, costs and constraints associated with each proposed option.
- Arrange the message from conclusion to evidence and detail according to audience and decision needs.
- Explain risks, dependencies and limitations without presenting expected impacts as guaranteed outcomes before implementation.
- Build a presentation outline ending with a clear request and responsibility for the next step.
3. Slide design and honest data presentation
- Give each slide one central idea and a headline explaining its message rather than its topic.
- Choose charts suited to comparisons or trends, specifying units, time periods and data sources.
- Review scales, axes and sample sizes to avoid visual exaggeration or interpretations exceeding the evidence.
- Arrange text, colour, contrast and spacing for readability from the audience's position and reduce clutter.
- Redesign a crowded slide while preserving necessary information and recording supporting details in an appendix.
4. Delivery, timing and questions
- Rehearse the opening, conclusion and transitions using concise notes instead of reading the slides aloud.
- Allocate time to the message, evidence and questions, with a shorter version for reduced time.
- Use voice, pauses and eye contact to support clarity appropriate to the audience and setting.
- Listen, confirm the question and respond directly while distinguishing points requiring further verification.
- Address objections through criteria and evidence, recording disagreement without turning the exchange into personal defence.
5. Rehearsal, evaluation and follow-up
- Present a non-confidential professional case to colleagues playing the roles of an executive audience.
- Evaluate message clarity, evidence, slide design, timing and the quality of responses to questions.
- Translate feedback into specific revisions prioritized by their effect on understanding the requested decision.
- Prepare a follow-up summary distinguishing agreed decisions from proposals and questions left unresolved.
- Assign an owner and deadline to each action and verify that circulated materials reflect the agreement.
Practical outputs
- A brief defining the executive audience, requested decision, central message and supporting evidence.
- An argument outline comparing alternatives and explaining the recommendation, risks and final request.
- A professional-case slide deck with an appendix for sources, data and supporting detail.
- Speaking notes, a timing plan and likely questions with responses or verification steps.
- An assessment sheet, revision plan and follow-up summary of decisions, owners and deadlines.
Who should attend
- Managers and team leads presenting recommendations or results to executive management.
- Project, strategy and development practitioners seeking decisions or resources.
- Specialists translating technical analysis into a message understandable to non-specialists.
Prerequisites
- A professional topic and presentation case suitable for discussion without confidential or personal information.
- Basic familiarity with preparing slides; confirm required tools with the Union before attendance.
Conclusion
The programme produces a reviewable executive presentation connecting a recommendation with its evidence and limitations and stating the requested decision. A follow-up summary turns discussion into responsibilities and next steps without equating presentation quality with guaranteed approval.
Participation arrangements and any special requests are specified in the confirmation issued by the Union.