Concise Communication for Executives

The Art of Executive Storytelling Everything we’ve been taught about storytelling—hooks, drama, suspense—falls flat in an executive room. Execs don’t have time for a slow build or a clever twist. They want the bottom line, fast. You have 30 seconds to land your point. Use it wisely. I struggled with this not because I didn’t know the point, but because I was trying to follow the classic narrative arc. It backfired. Executives aren’t your audience for theatre. They’re here for decisions. The formula is simple: 1. Lead with the bottom line. 2. Back it with sharp data—quant and qual. 3. Arm yourself with all the slice-and-dice details for follow-up. If you have 30 minutes, take 5 to make your case. Spend the remaining 25 in conversation. That’s where the real work happens. That’s what they’ll remember you for. Be clear. Be concise. Be ready. That’s the story they’re here for.

Your idea isn’t the problem. How you communicate it is. Early in my career, I’d make recommendations to my boss... and get met with either no decision, or endless back-and-forth. The problem wasn’t my ideas — it was my delivery. Over time, I figured out what separates recommendations that stall, from ones met with a quick decision. I've turned it into a simple framework, and I now ask every leader on my team to use it when presenting ideas to me. I want to share it with you. 🌀 SPIRAL 🌀 ▪️ Situation → You need to provide context. Your boss may not be as close to the details as you. Keep it clear. Keep it concise. ▪️ Problem → First, make sure you have a real problem. It's your job to decipher between "volume vs volume". Meaning is this problem you're solving for happening often, indicating you have a systemic issue? Or do you just a squeaky wheel? Provide at least two, real examples! ▪️ Impact → Be data-backed. How does this problem impact outcomes you care about? Avoid subjective terms like "often, big". Be specific. ▪️ Recommendation → This is where you demonstrate your ability to be solution oriented. Also, all change recommendations have pros and cons. List those out, so your boss doesn't feel like their walking into a trap. Where possible, include ways to mitigate the risks. ▪️ Ask → Be explicit. What needs to change, how, and when? ▪️ Last Line, First → Never burry the headline! In one succinct sentence, what are you recommending? Make this the first line in your slack, or the first words out of your mouth in your meeting. Save this. Use this. And I promise... You'll stand out from your peers. Your recommendations will be met with quicker decisions.

Quick test: Can you explain your biggest HR priority in one sentence? If you just started with "Well, it's complicated..." you've already lost. Here's why that matters more than you think, especially communicating with executives. Here's what I learned over the course of my HR career and see when coaching next-gen HR leaders. The problem isn't your expertise. It's how you package it. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗥 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟯-𝟯𝟬-𝟯 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲: • Can you state your point in 3 seconds? • Can you explain it clearly in 30 seconds? • Can you expand for 3 minutes if they want more? 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: • You have 3 seconds to earn the right to 30 seconds. • You have 30 seconds to earn the right to 3 minutes. • Miss the first window, and you've lost them. Let me show you what this actually sounds like in a real conversation. 𝟯 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 "Our retention strategy will save us $2M this year." 𝟯𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 "We're losing key talent in roles critical to our growth strategy. By focusing retention efforts on these 50 employees, we'll avoid $2M in replacement costs and keep the product roadmap on track." 𝟯 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 This is where you bring in the data, the trends, the action plan. But you've already hooked them with the business impact. Notice how each part builds naturally? You're not dumping everything at once - you're earning the right to go deeper. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Before your next executive conversation, ask yourself: • What's the ONE thing they need to know? • How does this connect to business results? • What happens if we don't act? Your insights are valuable. But only if you can communicate them in a way that cuts through the noise. What is your best advice for communicating with executives? P.S. I cover frameworks like this in my Future of HR newsletter every Thursday. Join 2,700+ other HR leaders and get my HR Leader's Blueprint at: https://lnkd.in/gYSzn72F

I’ve had the same conversation with at least five different executives over the last two weeks. Each one was getting ready for a big presentation (board meetings, investor briefings, annual reviews... tis the season) and each one was wrestling with the same thing: how to make sure the message lands in the room. I've been doing this work for over 20 years, and every year I watch the same trend in my EOY presentation-prep coaching sessions: leaders starting from what THEY know, instead of what the room NEEDS to hear. That shift...orienting from your knowledge to their perspective...is what separates a good communicator from a great one. Why does this matter? Because when you lead with everything you know, the story becomes dense. It’s clear to you, but not to them. When you start with what your audience needs, your message becomes easier to follow, easier to remember, and easier to act on. Here’s how that looks in practice: >>> Start with the “so what.” Instead of walking through your logic step by step, open with your conclusion. “There are three companies we should consider. Here’s why each matters.” You’ve just given the room a roadmap. Now they know what they’re listening for. >>> Keep it short. Long answers often come from wanting to sound thorough. But in a boardroom, shorter answers read as control. Half the words, twice the confidence. If someone wants more detail, let them ask for it. >>> Don’t let your slides do the thinking for you. Frame the key point before you show what’s on the page. “There’s a lot here, but two things I want to highlight…” That helps your audience follow you, not your deck. >>> Treat questions as part of the conversation, not as tests. You don’t need to have a perfect answer. Your goal is to keep the room engaged and moving toward your outcome. If you’re unsure what they want, clarify: “Would you like me to speak to X or Y?” That one sentence signals that you’re thinking WITH them, not performing FOR them. Remember: the goal isn’t to prove what you know. It’s to curate what the audience needs to understand, so they walk away able to REPEAT your key points and motivated to ACT on them.

I almost tanked my executive career before it began. I had no idea how to speak with senior leaders and it almost cost me a promotion. I thought being thorough would make me look prepared. Instead, it positioned me as "not strategic". I built a 40-slide deck, packed with every detail. Outlining every step of the process. And then... I received feedback that broke my heart. "Too much in the weeds" "What's the bottom line?" "It's not the best idea" It hurt, but it taught me a tough lesson: Executive communication isn’t about showing how much you know. It’s about delivering what they need to hear, quickly and effectively. My 40 slide deck overwhelmed them with data instead of driving a clear point. But I don't give up quickly. I trained myself on 5 frameworks that changed everything. They taught me how to: Communicate at the right altitude Know what to say and what to avoid Get out of the weeds and be strategic And they worked like magic! I put together a full guide + examples on how to use these frameworks. It will save you a few years of trial and error. Just dig in. What’s one way you’ll adjust your communication this week to lead at the executive level?

The Gap Between What We Say and What They Hear After 20+ years in communications across five continents, I've learned one uncomfortable truth: most companies are having entirely different conversations than their audiences. We craft messages about "stakeholder value" and "strategic initiatives." They hear corporate jargon that says nothing and means nothing to them. We announce "organizational restructuring." They hear "layoffs are coming." We talk about "our commitment to transparency." They remember the last three times we weren't transparent. This isn't a failure of messaging. It's a failure of listening. The best communications strategy I've seen started with six months of just listening - to employees, customers, critics, media, analysts - all key stakeholders. Not focus groups with carefully scripted questions. Real listening. The uncomfortable kind. What we discovered changed everything. The gap wasn't about what we were saying. It was about the credibility we'd lost years earlier, the promises we made and had forgotten. Here's what I've learned works: 1. Say less, mean more. Every word should earn its place. If you can't explain it to your teenager, don't put it in a press release. 2. Actions first, announcements second. Audiences believe what you do, not what you say you'll do. Show your work. 3. Acknowledge the elephant. If everyone is thinking it, address it. Silence doesn't make difficult truths disappear - it makes you look out of touch. 4. Ditch the corporate voice. Your CEO is a human. Let them sound like one. Authenticity isn't a communications strategy - it's a requirement. The companies that break through aren't the ones with the biggest megaphones or the slickest campaigns. They're the ones willing to close the gap between their reality and their rhetoric. #CorporateCommunications #Leadership #Authenticity #PublicRelations #ExecutiveCommunications

If you’re an executive exploring new opportunities right now, you’re getting flooded with conflicting advice. Post more. Network harder. Message recruiters. “Grab 15 minutes.” Rinse and repeat. Here’s the part no one explains clearly: Executive recruiters are engaged to solve high-stakes leadership problems for CEOs and boards. That means our time is structured around delivering results. I value relationships, but saying yes to every proactive call would dilute the focus required to serve current mandates well. So when a cold connection is immediately followed by “Can I get 15 minutes of your time?” — it rarely gets prioritized. Instead, do this 👇 1️⃣ Reference something specific. Mention an active search, a post they wrote, or a space they specialize in. Demonstrate relevance and show that you understand their focus. 2️⃣ Position yourself in 2–3 lines. Not a resume. Not your full bio. A clear, differentiated snapshot of what you actually do well. 3️⃣ Clarify your intent. Are you exploring new roles? Building a team this year? Relocating? Just staying warm? Context matters. 4️⃣ Offer reciprocity. Are you hiring? Can you refer strong talent? Do you have insight into a niche market? Executive relationships are two-sided. Retained search partners aren’t avoiding conversations. We’re prioritizing alignment. Specific > generic Mutual value > one-sided outreach Clarity > “quick chat" Thoughtful outreach stands out. Every time.

Do you ever walk out of an executive meeting and realize… you said way more than you needed to? I got some simple, uncomfortable feedback from my leader recently: “Answer the question. Be succinct.” My first reaction? Ego hit. I thought, “But I’m just trying to give context. I’m trying to prevent misunderstandings. I’m trying to be helpful.” And honestly, that instinct came from experience. I’ve seen miscommunication cause real problems, so I learned to overshare to try to close every possible gap before it opened. Sounds responsible, right? Here’s the part I had to own: in doing that, I was quietly taking responsibility for other people’s understanding. I was assuming they wouldn’t get it. I was removing their accountability to ask follow-up questions. And I was justifying it in my head as “being thorough.” The reality is this: My job is to answer the question clearly and directly. My job is to know the context. My job is not to preempt every possible misunderstanding unless I’m asked to go deeper. Clarity is not the same as volume. There’s a lot of trust in being concise. Trust that the other person is capable. Trust that if they need more, they’ll ask. Trust that communication is a two-way street, not a monologue disguised as help. Lately, I’m practicing this: say the thing. Then stop. Anyone else struggling with this? #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutivePresence #CommunicationSkills #LeadershipMindset #PersonalGrowth #SelfLeadership #ProfessionalGrowth #LeadershipLessons —————————————————— 💡 Authentic leadership, mindset, and leading in IT & cybersecurity. 🎯 For leaders who want to grow without burning out. 👉 Follow MJ for more. Share if this helped.

Stop babbling! Struggling to ask a clear, concise question is a very common thing that I see damage executive presence. If you want to be an executive, you must speak like one. Here is how to make a better impression: In all my classes, we always do a live Q&A. Everyone has experienced someone who gets up to the microphone and rambles without arriving at a clear question, leaving others wondering what they are talking about. Surprisingly, this even happens in my executive class, “Cracking the C-Suite,” where people are hoping to get Chief Officer jobs. Before the Q&A, I always tell the class that this is a chance to practice and demonstrate their Executive Presence by asking a concise, clear question. I then give them time to prepare. While a few succeed, most do not. The main reasons that some struggle are these: 1) They do not write out their question. It is one thing to struggle when you are put on the spot, but all of these people have time to prepare. However, they simply decide what they want to ask in their minds and do no further preparation. This is a mistake. Write your question down in its clearest and most concise version. 2) They do not practice the question. After writing the question down, it would take less than a minute to speak your question out loud a couple of times to get used to stating it quickly and clearly. You should practice your question as though it were a short public speaking opportunity. In essence, it is. 3) They over-contextualize and qualify We all think our own lives are fascinating and that the context of our situation really matters. But, in most cases, it doesn't. The core questions that people ask are very simple, such as "my boss micromanages me - how can I change that?" The exact type of micromanagement makes almost no difference. Cut out all but the most necessary context, and realize that if the person answering your question needs more context they can simply ask. 4) Verbal Fidgeting We often say too much because we are nervous and uncertain, and saying too much makes us look and sound exactly that way. I call this verbal fidgeting because it is touching and playing with words to ease our nerves, just as we sometimes do with physical objects. Executive presence is amplified by short, powerful, direct, declarative sentences. Recognize if you have the tendency to “fidget,” and combat it by preparing and practicing your question until you no longer need to. Readers—who in your life could benefit from stronger speaking skills? Send them this post. And, share any other tips for improved speaking/question-asking.

“Don’t speak too much English.” That’s what I keep telling my employees. But what I mean is that clarity is everything. That’s especially true in a global company like Multiplier. We operate across time zones, languages, and cultures. Every extra word adds friction. Every unnecessary call costs time. Avoiding those problems is a matter of documentation: → Write it down → Make it concise → Avoid jargon → Just say the thing you mean I love working with younger teams who instinctively value this form of communication. They’d rather read a quick note than sit through a call. It’s not lazy. It’s efficient. Being concise has transformed how we work: → Instead of endless back and forth, our instinct is documentation → Instead of crowded calendars, we have context → Instead of confusion, we have clarity Simplicity is powerful. It’s why I tell my team: “If you want to tell me something, give me three bullet points.” Because the world’s best teams don’t communicate more than their competitors. They communicate better. Proud to work with people who value clarity as much as ambition.