The Golden Rule for Presenting to Decision Makers
Present information to a decision maker the same way you would want it presented to you if the roles were reversed. It is the Golden Rule applied to technical communication. The topic deserves another look because the temptation to persuade never goes away.
Reverse the Roles
Imagine you are the one who must sign the bottom line. A direct report walks in with a recommendation. The slides show only the benefits of the preferred option, or they bury or omit the risks. The alternatives were quietly dismissed before the meeting started.
How would you feel when you discovered it? Most of us would feel manipulated. We would also question every recommendation that person brings to us afterward.
Now take it one level further. Imagine one of your direct report's direct reports doing the same thing to you. The distance makes it worse. You have less context, less history with that person, and fewer ways to check the work. You depend entirely on the fairness of the presentation.
Let the Decision Maker Decide
Your duty as a trusted advisor is to provide all of the significant information: the options, the tradeoffs, and the uncertainty. You can and should offer your best advice. However, the decision belongs to the person accountable for it. They own it, not you.
A one-sided presentation lets the ends justify the means. It may win the meeting. It usually loses the war (and trust). Big decisions appear before multiple gatekeepers over long periods of time.
The Tip: Treat Others the Way You Wish to Be Treated
Present the information the way you would want it presented to you. Show all sides. Then let the decision maker decide.
Are you treating others the way you would wish to be treated if the roles were reversed?
The second E in FINESSE stands for ethics.
JD Solomon champions practical communication skills that help technical professionals convey complex ideas clearly and confidently. Need help getting started? Visit his company’s website, www.jdsolomonsolutions.com.
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