So... What's Your Point?
Read Time: 2 Minutes
I recently coached a financial audit expert in The Impromptu Speakers Academy, who faced a common challenge. For sake of anonymity, let's call her Reena.
How do I present complex technical findings to leadership in a way that resonates?
Her task? Delivering a high-stakes presentation on Monday that needed to accomplish multiple goals:
- Present preliminary audit findings from several scoping meetings
- Clearly frame the potential risks
- Get decisive direction from the director
The problem? Her presentation lacked a clear structure. She was so deep in the technical details that she struggled to articulate which points mattered most to leadership.
Does this sound familiar? Many professionals I teach fall into the same trap – we become so immersed in the details that we lose sight of what our audience truly cares about.
Here's how I helped her transform her approach in The ISA:
The "Why-First" Framework
I recommended Reena completely reframe her presentation around her director's key concerns:
1. Anchor the group on core metrics that matter
Instead of diving straight into the audit findings, I advised Reena to start with this:
"I want to ensure we're focusing on the right areas. I believe the most critical concerns here are [financial exposure] and [reputation risk]. Before I go through our findings, I want to confirm these are the right priorities from your perspective. John (the director), does that sound right?"
This simple approach achieves two goals:
- It shows you understand what leadership cares about
- It gives her key stakeholder a chance to clarify their priorities
2. Connect every point to those priorities
For each finding, Reena needed to make explicit connections:
"One of the problems we identified is X. This matters because it could lead to [specific financial or reputation risk]. Here's our proposed solution..."
This is much more effective than only sharing the proposed solution. Why?
Key Takeaway: When you've articulated the problem that your audience cares to solve, they'll place your solution within the correct context.
3. Structure for dialogue, not monologue
The most impactful part of our coaching was shifting from a one-way presentation to a collaborative discussion. I suggested Reena divide her presentation into clear segments with natural breaks for input:
"Now that I've covered our findings on vendor systems, I'd like to pause and get your thoughts before moving to customer-facing systems. What stands out to you so far?"
This approach transforms a standard update into a strategic conversation.
Key Takeaway: In between your points, pause and ask for questions. Avoid giving your points consecutively if the purpose of your presentation is to start a discussion.
The Result
Reena left The ISA workshop with a completely restructured approach. Instead of overwhelming her director with technical details, she was prepared to drive a focused conversation around the issues that actually mattered.
When stakes are high, the best presenters don't present more – they connect more.
Are you facing a similar challenge with high-stakes presentations? The techniques I shared with Reena are just a small part of what we cover in the Impromptu Speakers Academy.
We just wrapped up Cohort 2 of The ISA, and it was a big hit. So I've decided to run it back for Cohort 3.
Enrollment will open around April or May. Join the waitlist to be first in line for early-bird pricing and limited spots.
👉 Click HERE if you to join the waitlist.
Talk soon,
Preston
