The Best Presentations Begin Days Before the Big Meeting

Share your information before the big presentation!

Your presentation begins before business executives and senior management receive your report. Sending your material in advance allows them to review the facts, formulate questions, and arrive prepared for a meaningful discussion. The undesirable alternative is spending the meeting absorbing information for the first time.

Good for Your Boss

Sharing information in advance helps executives focus on evaluating options and making decisions rather than absorbing the base material.

Helping You as the Presenter

This approach changes the presenter's role. The meeting becomes less about delivering information and more about helping leaders interpret it.

Improving Your Credibility

Executives appreciate presenters who are confident enough to let their work stand on its own. It is better to discover weaknesses like confusing graphics or out-of-place conclusions before the meeting than during it. Sharing material ahead of time improves credibility.

Many technical professionals believe the presentation begins when they start speaking. It doesn't.

Supported by Industry Experts

Edward Tufte has long argued that detailed written documents often communicate complex information more effectively than presentation slides alone (Tufte, 2003). A well-organized report provides context, supporting evidence, and nuance that cannot fit on a few slides. The presentation appropriately becomes an opportunity to highlight the most important findings instead of attempting to recreate the entire report.

The Tip: Share in Advance

The goal is not simply to inform. The goal is to improve decision quality. The tip is to share your information before the big presentation.

References

Solomon, J. D. (2023). Communicating Reliability, Risk, & Resiliency to Decision Makers: How to Get Your Boss's Boss to Understand, Three Degrees of Learning.

Tufte, E. R. (2003). The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint. Graphics Press.

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JD Solomon champions practical communication skills that help technical professionals convey complex ideas clearly and confidently. Learn more at www.jdsolomonsolutions.com and www.communicatingwithfinesse.com.