Page 93 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

84 DELIVERY

tions, analyst presentations, and new business presentations running
forty minutes or longer—and it’s not uncommon that a presentation
can sometimes take an entire morning or afternoon, and even on
rare occasions, a full day.
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Change the medium to break the tedium.
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I see five ways to get around the 18-minute wall:
1. Go to Q&A (question and answer). Cover the basics, all the essen-
tials, in fifteen minutes, and then set aside thirty minutes for Q&A

to touch on details and elements that you feel might need further
explanation or fleshing out. Q&A, by the way, is your chance to

redeem yourself if you feel that the presentation itself did not go
particularly well. Most of us tend to be more effective in Q&A, any-
way, because Q&A allows us to be most ourselves and most conver-
sational. We can establish a more personal rapport with the audience
and reinforce positions that contribute toward whatever objective we
may have—whether it is seeking endorsement, demanding a plan of
action, enlisting help, or asking permission.

2. Use another speaker. Have an associate speak for two minutes or
so to highlight, clarify, or amplify a particular area of expertise; then
the clock starts again with you. You may repeat the process before
the next eighteen minutes are up, but human nature probably
wouldn’t allow you to use the strategy successfully a third time.
Alternatively, you can bounce back and forth from speaker A to
speaker B—as long as both of you and the presentation appear to be
seamless and unrehearsed.

3. Invite questions and be prepared to interact with your audience.
You might even start off with a question, such as: “When was the