Page 73 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

64 CREATING THE PERFECT PRESENTATION

The reality is that everybody in this new industry is in the
same boat, and we are all riding on the same tide. In our own
company we have learned from our mistakes and we are better
for it. Our balance sheet is getting stronger every day. We still
have one of the most talented managements in the business, and
we have positioned ourselves to profit on the rebound.

That’s the message—tell your people.

5. Bad news/good news. The bad news/good news approach can
defuse the potential for a hostile question-and-answer session in the
event you see soft spots or loopholes in the case you are trying to
make. For instance, a new CEO of a start-up might wind up his
pitch to potential private equity investors like this:
It’s true that we are new to this market, and it’s true we have to
move fast to meet our obligations and build out the business
model in a challenging environment, and it’s also true that regu-
latory concerns will continue to be an issue for the next several
months.
But most important—and this is what I want you to take out
of the room today—we are not only fi rst to market, but in the
twenty years I have been in the telecom wireless industry, I have
not seen an opportunity with such rapid growth potential, long-
term value, and return to investors.

Now you have released tension by anticipating their concerns. You
might have also dodged some tough questions simply by acknowledg-
ing that these issues are on your radar and woven into your plan.

6. Project into the future. Everybody loves a seer, particularly in busi-
ness and politics. The real news in most business presentations is not
what happened yesterday or what’s happening today, but what we
can expect will happen tomorrow. That’s the added value our pre-

sentation gives to senior corporate officers, who can base their deci-
sions on what subordinates tell them. Those subordinates, in turn,