for Working with
Grand
Poobahs
You know: senior
execs ...
head
honchos
... big
cheeses
...
corner
office-dwellers
1.
Reduce everything
to one page
Remember the
Grand Poobah Law: If it has a staple in it, it doesn't get read.
Never walk into
any meeting or presentation without a one-page summary (of display-size type)
that
spells
out, from their
perspective: What
This Means to You
2.
Regardless of what the agenda says or the executive asked for...
Presentations to senior executives are almost always going to be about
one of two things:
•
Control
•
Minimizing the
executive's exposure to risk
So, regardless
of what you've been asked to present, and what details you're supposed to
have covered,
your story and your headline must always be:
• "Boss,
things are under control / not under control."
•
"Boss, whether my
news is good or bad, your butt is safe with me."
(Presentation,
as opposed
to an invitation for dialogue.
That's very different.)
3.
Always shop your ideas around ahead of time
Typical senior
execs hate two things: 1) Surprises. 2) Spending time on anything that their
lieutenants haven't already vetted. Pre-selling your ideas to the lieutenants
keeps you
covered on both.
4.
The stated problem is never the problem
The perceived or
stated problem is never the
whole
problem, and
often not the
real
problem. Issues
and challenges at the senior level are complicated, interconnected,
and overlapping.
You will have to dig deep.
5.
Data will set you free
(If it's used
to tell a story or start a tough conversation)
Always use data
to tell a story, NEVER to just present numbers and results.
Data can create
uncomfortable discussions. That's good.
Be Switzerland:
Detach from emotions and politics. Data are just facts and trends that leaders
must figure out how to use. Present and facilitate from a neutral position
6. Be a "pair of
hands"
(Help with
executive's day-to-day tasks and priorities, and be involved in delivering
their
messages and plans throughout the organization.)
Gets
you in
- behind
those closed doors
7. Always take
the high road. Always!
Especially if
alignment between senior team members breaks down, or politics grow:
No matter how
painful it gets, take the high road.
Tell the truth,
take the blame, present bad news, whatever it takes.
Always be able to
look at yourself in the mirror
