Preparation & Presentation

In a year, I make almost 5000+ presentations, with 80% being impromptu. Most executive presentations happen over coffee, in hallways, or during "quick sync" meetings. There's rarely time to prepare or pull slides.

So, how can you be ready when there's no time? Here are some tips from someone who's often unprepared but still aces most opportunities:

1/ Clarity of thought leads to concise presentations. Every Ramayana can be told in 3, 30, or 300 lines. Always have your 3-line version ready, no visual aid needed. It helps articulate any initiative anytime. Show depth later with the 300-line version.

2/ Ask yourself: What's the through-line and storyline? The through-line stays constant, but the storyline changes with the audience. For designers, I use a different narrative than for GMs, though the core message remains.

3/ Writing helps articulate thoughts better. It lets you craft your narrative, starting with shitty first drafts and polishing on the go. Don't speak your shitty draft to executives - it's career-limiting.

4/ Weekly, summarize all ongoing project statuses. It helps pinpoint specific progress and makes quarterly summaries a breeze. Abundance aids crispness - it's easier to condense 10,000 hours than to stretch 10.

5/ Whether asked or not, I always have a weekly summary of work and life ready, with key nuggets and action items.

6/ A special tip for leaders: Practice conciseness. I often struggle with this due to abundant information. Learn to zoom out. Executives love "reel-like" updates - 30 seconds, not even 2 minutes. Their attention spans are limited.

7/ Consider video updates for work streams. They engage both auditory and spatial faculties, making your message more memorable. This is where one pagers fail. It is cognitively taxing.

What would you add to always be prepared?