learning the language of leadership #sxsw

Speaking inSmall Rooms

with ConfidenceLearning the Languageof Leadership

by Brian Sullivan

The difference between

MANAGEMENT and

LEADERSHIPis

COMMUNICATION!Winston Churchill

My Boss Me

Leaders Speak a Foreign Language

Brian Sullivan.Hi, my name is

@BrianKSullivan@bigdesign

#leadertalk

Research and Testing Expert

Director of UX Operations at Sabre, where I run three User Research labs.

International Speaker

Writer of Books and Articles

Keynote Author on SlideShare

Startup Mentor in Dallas

Founder & President of UX Dallas

Founder of the UX Program at SMU

Founder of the Big Design Conference

Big rooms require a certain talk strategy.

Small rooms require a different approach.

Leaders Speak a Foreign Language

&How Do I Learn It

Stakes High Opinions Vary Emotions Strong

Planning Presentation Delivery

My Boss Me

Planning for a Small Room of Executives

Preparation Determines

Success

Stages Multiplier (by time) 50 Minute Talk

Researching Multiply by 2 100 minutes

Building Slides Multiply by 2 100 minutes

Practicing Multiply by 2 100 minutes

Updating Slides Multiply by 1 50 minutes

“Pre-Talk” Talks Multiply by 2 100 minutes

Follow-Up Multiply by 2-3 100-150 minutes

Planning Formula

Slides are conversation

starters.

Elevate your stories

&your slides.

Use the Right Speed, Balance, and Altitude

Airspeed Indicator Attitude Gyro Altimeter

10,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10 min

20 min

30 min

40 min

50 min

10,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10 min

20 min

30 min

40 min

50 min

You are almost at

5,000 feet. Climb hard, climb fast.

8am 8am 8am

2pm

3pm

Plan for Interruptions and Questions

Practice

• Your stories• Main points on each slide• Transitions• Answering questions• Objections from people• The flow of the slides• Handoffs between people• Your tone of voice

Tips for Building an Executive Presentation

Do less…better!!!1 slide/10 minutes.

18 Slides Took Over 90 Minutes

Basic Formula

• What? (3-4 slides)Topic you want to discuss.

• So What? (2-3 slides)The relevance of the topic.

• Now What? (3-4 slides)The next steps to take.

Manage yourconversationswith leaders.

Conversation Types:

• Personal Connection• Friendly Conversation• Problem Investigation• Possible Solutions• Political Discussions• Personal Motives

Your Relationship

• Person• Employee• Management• Supplier• Partner• Trusted Advisor

Person

TrustedAdvisor

Partner

Supplier

Employee

Personal Connection

Friendly Conversation

Problem Investigation

Possible Solutions

Political Discussions

Personal Motives

Management

• Association and Recognition

• Internal Dialogue

• Nonverbal Communication

• Technical communications

• Intersecting Activity or Common Ground

• Business Operations Language

• Confidential C-level language

The goal of executive meetings is to become

a trusted advisor.

Three Keys to Success

1. Communicate Business Goals (What?)2. Talk Risk and Reward (So What?)3. Envision a Future State (Now What?)

Focus your stories on each leader’s role.

What’s their motivation?

Your Relationship

• Person• Employee• Management• Supplier• Partner• Trusted Advisor

EXECUTIVES OR MANAGERS

Because They Value... You Should Focus On....

• Concise Information

• Growing the business

• Solving problems

• Getting to the point

• Accomplishing goals

• Describing the solution

DEVELOPERS OR ENGINEERS


• Building it once & minimizingrework

• Efficiency and maintainablecode

• Understanding the effortinvolved

• Understanding all of theuse cases up front

• Managing scope, quality,and reusing UI patterns

• Communicating the valuefor the users or business

PRODUCT OWNERS


• Innovation and creativity

• Meeting business goals

• The big picture, long termroadmap

• Finding new approachesto solving problems

• Connecting your designs tothe business objectives

• How your design moves them forward

Delivery Tips for an Executive Presentation

This small room can be terrifying to people.

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?

How are we going to do that? Gulp!

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?

Executive Sport?

Execuphobia:

It’s an unhealthy fear of C-level executives. It is a real fear.

Leaders Have Bosses, Too

CEO Board of Directors

Executives Fear Things, Too

CEO

• Fear of failure• Loss of reputation• Lawsuits• Competitor moves• Regulations• Loss of customers• Not hitting sales goals• Wall Street

Body Language Matters with Executives

No Eye Contact Weak Handshake Slouching

Folded Arms Frowning Looking Down

It’s about theSituation, not the

Presentation.

Work on Executive Presence

Executive presence is the ability to project gravitas with others.

• Extreme confidence• Poise under pressure• Decisiveness• Effective communication• Ability to read situations• Assertiveness• Risk management

Make Executives Feel Special

• Maintain eye contact• Listen to them• Ask good questions• Lean forward• Use acknowledge tokens• Don’t interrupt• Use their first name• Don’t speak over someone

Make Them Feel Like They are the Only Person in the Room

Know when to call an audible.

Know the Subtext of a Question

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? We build a screener with your people to

recruit the right users.

How are we going to recruit these people?

I literally justexplained it!

How are we going to recruit

these people? Ah!!!

I get it now.

you

My team owns it. We recruit in many ways. We will work with your team to find the right people.

I don’t know this. Tell me it is not my

responsibility!

The Subtext Might Be …