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PART II: Deciphering the Communication Challenge

PART II: Deciphering the Communication Challenge

Before you build the story, you need to understand the communication situation. The same principle that applies to case solving applies here: Do not start solving before you understand the problem.

A presentation is shaped by more than the content of the case. It is also shaped by the audience, the decision, the time available, the type of competition, the complexity of the recommendation, and the Evidence required to make the recommendation believable. That means the right presentation for one case may be the wrong presentation for another.

Part II focuses on two questions:

  1. What does this presentation need to accomplish?

  2. Who are we trying to persuade?

The goal is not to memorise a deck structure. The goal is to learn how to decipher the communication challenge before you build the deck.

Chapter 3: Before You Build the Deck, Decipher the Presentation

Just as you should not solve a case before understanding the case, you should not build a presentation before understanding the communication challenge. Teams often move directly from analysis into PowerPoint.

They already have:

  •  a problem statement;

  • several frameworks;

  • financial analysis;

  • alternatives;

  • a recommendation;

  • an implementation plan.

So they begin turning those pieces into slides. But there is another step first. You need to ask: What kind of presentation does this case actually require? The answer should shape everything that follows.

The Communication Decode

Start by deciphering seven elements.

1. The Case

What is the actual problem? The presentation must be built around the real decision—not around every issue mentioned in the case. Ask:

  • What is the central challenge?

  • What is the root cause?

  • What must management resolve?

  • What happens if nothing changes?

The clearer the problem, the clearer the presentation can become.

2. The Audience

Who are we presenting to? This affects:

  • language;

  • level of detail;

  • evidence;

  • financial emphasis;

  • implementation depth;

  • risk discussion;

  • tone.

A CFO and a marketing executive may both support the same recommendation for very different reasons. Know who is in the room.

3. The Decision

What does the audience actually need to decide? Perhaps the decision is:

  • whether to enter a market;

  • whether to approve an investment;

  • which strategic alternative to pursue;

  • whether to restructure;

  • how to restore profitability;

  • how to implement an existing strategy.

The presentation should make that decision easier.

4. The Context

What is happening around the decision? Consider:

  • urgency;

  • organisational change;

  • competitive pressure;

  • financial stress;

  • stakeholder conflict;

  • regulation;

  • uncertainty;

  • reputational concerns.

Context influences what deserves emphasis. A crisis presentation may need to lead with immediate action. A long-term growth case may need more strategic comparison.

5. The Time

How much time do we have? A 10-minute presentation is not simply a shortened 20-minute presentation. It requires different choices. You may need to:

  • reduce the number of slides;

  • simplify the analysis;

  • combine sections;

  • prioritise only the strongest Evidence;

  • leave more supporting detail for Q&A.

The shorter the presentation, the more disciplined the communication needs to become.

6. The Competition

What are judges likely to compare between teams? Case competitions are comparative environments. Judges may see several teams responding to the same problem. Ask:

  • Where are teams likely to converge?

  • Where could our thinking be differentiated?

  • Which assumptions are likely to be challenged?

  • What Evidence might separate a credible recommendation from a generic one?

Do not try to be different simply for the sake of novelty. But understand where the judges may need more proof.

7. The Objective

What do we need the judges to believe? This is one of the most powerful questions in the entire manual. Complete: At the end of our presentation, we need the judges to believe that __________.

  • For example: ACME's primary problem is retention rather than acquisition, and a targeted loyalty strategy is the most financially attractive and executable response.

Now the entire presentation has a purpose. Every slide can be tested against that belief.

Deciphering Case Characteristics

Different cases create different communication demands. This is why there is no universal presentation template.

A 6-Hour Case vs a 24-Hour Case

A shorter case may contain:

  • less research;

  • fewer detailed calculations;

  • a simpler deck;

  • more reliance on assumptions;

  • greater emphasis on clarity and prioritisation.

A 24-hour case may allow:

  • deeper research;

  • more robust financial analysis;

  • stronger visual Evidence;

  • additional sensitivity testing;

  • more developed implementation.

The communication strategy should reflect the depth of the work.

A 10-Minute Presentation vs a 20-Minute Presentation

A ten-minute presentation may require aggressive prioritisation. A twenty-minute presentation allows more explanation but creates another risk: More time does not mean you should add more information simply because you can. The additional time should improve understanding, not increase clutter.

A Financial Turnaround Case

May require greater emphasis on:

  • financial health;

  • cash flow;

  • margins;

  • cost structure;

  • liquidity;

  • financial impact;

  • sensitivity.

The audience needs to believe the economics.

A Social Enterprise Case

May require more emphasis on:

  • mission;

  • stakeholder impact;

  • social outcomes;

  • financial sustainability;

  • trade-offs.

The audience may evaluate value through more than profit alone.

A Case With an Obvious Recommendation

Sometimes the strategy is relatively clear. The real challenge may be: How do we make it happen? In that situation, the presentation may devote more time to:

  • implementation;

  • capabilities;

  • timing;

  • ownership;

  • risk;

  • change management.

A Case With Several Strong Alternatives

When several options are strategically credible, the audience may need more visibility into:

  • alternatives;

  • decision criteria;

  • trade-offs;

  • financial comparison;

  • risk.

The decision logic becomes central to the presentation.

A Case With Strong Human Impact

A case involving:

  • employees;

  • patients;

  • communities;

  • customers;

  • vulnerable stakeholders

may benefit from a stronger human connection. The opening may need to remind the audience that the decision affects real people. But remember: Emotion should support the argument, not replace it.

A Complex Financial Decision

A complicated investment, acquisition, or valuation case may require more visual Evidence. The audience may need:

  • clear charts;

  • scenario comparisons;

  • valuation ranges;

  • cash-flow visuals;

  • simplified financial tables.

The more complicated the analysis, the more important visual simplification becomes.

The Deciphering Rule

Don't memorise a presentation template. Learn to decipher what the case requires. The structure should emerge from the communication challenge.

The Presentation Deciphering Questions

Before building the deck, answer these questions:

  1. Who are we speaking to? Identify the actual decision-maker.
  2. What do they care about? Understand their priorities.
  3. What decision are they making? Define the decision clearly.
  4. What is the most important thing they need to understand? Identify the central insight.
  5. What is the strongest Evidence supporting our recommendation? Find the proof.
  6. What is the most important objection they may have? Anticipate resistance.
  7. What must we communicate visually? Identify information that is easier to understand through a chart, table, timeline, or diagram.
  8. What can we leave for Q&A? Preserve useful supporting depth without overwhelming the main presentation.
  9. What can we leave out completely? Recognise analysis that has already served its purpose.

These questions should shape the presentation before you open PowerPoint.

The Communication Brief

A useful exercise is to summarise your answers on one page.

  • Audience We are presenting to: __________
  • Decision They need to decide: __________
  • Core Problem The central problem is: __________
  • Core Message We need them to believe: __________
  • Strongest Evidence The most compelling proof is: __________
  • Biggest Concern The objection we must overcome is: __________
  • Time We have: __________
  • What We Can Leave Out __________

This becomes your communication brief. It gives the team a common understanding of what the presentation needs to accomplish.

Discover Your MAD Skills Principle

Decipher the presentation before you design the presentation.

PowerPoint should be the output of your communication decisions—not the place where those decisions are made.

The Bottom Line

A presentation should reflect:

CASE + AUDIENCE + DECISION + CONTEXT + TIME + COMPETITION + OBJECTIVE

Change one of those variables and the communication strategy may need to change. The goal is not to find the perfect template. The goal is to build the right presentation for this situation.

Chapter 4: Know Your Audience

Case teams often say: "We're presenting to ACME Corporation." You aren't. You are presenting to people. Perhaps:

  • the CEO;

  • the CFO;

  • the CMO;

  • the board;

  • an investment committee;

  • a city council;

  • a not-for-profit leadership team.

Those people have different responsibilities, incentives, concerns, and definitions of success. If you understand those differences, you can communicate the same recommendation much more effectively.

Don't Present to the Company

Imagine the case says, "You are advising the CEO of ACME Corporation." That immediately tells you something. The CEO is likely thinking about:

  • overall strategy;

  • growth;

  • competitive position;

  • profitability;

  • organisational capability;

  • major risk;

  • long-term value.

The CEO probably does not need a three-minute explanation of every operational calculation your team completed. That detail may still matter. But it must be translated into executive meaning.

Think Like the Decision-Maker

A useful question is: If I were sitting in this person's chair, what would make me approve or reject this recommendation? That question changes the presentation. Instead of simply asking: "What did we find?" ask: "What would this person need to see?"

Different Audiences, Different Concerns

CEO

A CEO may care about:

  • strategy;

  • growth;

  • profitability;

  • competitive advantage;

  • organisational capability;

  • risk;

  • long-term direction.

A useful CEO message might be: This strategy creates the strongest long-term growth opportunity while building on ACME's existing capabilities.

CFO

A CFO may care more heavily about:

  • investment;

  • cash flow;

  • margins;

  • profitability;

  • return;

  • funding;

  • risk;

  • sensitivity.

A useful CFO message might be: The investment requires $5 million upfront, produces positive NPV, and remains viable under our downside scenario. Same recommendation. Different emphasis.

CMO

A CMO may focus more on:

  • customer needs;

  • brand;

  • acquisition;

  • retention;

  • customer lifetime value;

  • market positioning;

  • channels.

A useful CMO message might be: Retention among high-value customers is deteriorating, making the customer experience the most important lever to restore profitable growth.

Operations Leader

An operations executive may care about:

  • capacity;

  • processes;

  • technology;

  • staffing;

  • timelines;

  • execution risk;

  • scalability.

They may be asking, "Can we actually do this?"

Board of Directors

A board may focus on:

  • strategic direction;

  • governance;

  • risk;

  • capital allocation;

  • long-term value;

  • stakeholder implications.

They may need more emphasis on why this decision is appropriate at the organisational level.

Government or Public-Sector Leader

The definition of value may change significantly. Consider:

  • taxpayers;

  • public value;

  • regulation;

  • accessibility;

  • equity;

  • political feasibility;

  • stakeholder impact;

  • long-term sustainability.

Profitability may still matter. It may simply not be the primary objective.

Not-for-Profit Leadership

Possible priorities include:

  • mission;

  • social impact;

  • beneficiaries;

  • funding sustainability;

  • donors;

  • volunteers;

  • community outcomes;

  • governance.

The presentation must reflect the organisation's definition of success.

Audience Does Not Mean Pandering

Understanding the audience does not mean telling them only what they want to hear. If the financial analysis challenges the CEO's preferred strategy, say so. If operational realities make an attractive marketing idea unrealistic, explain why. 

Audience awareness means: Communicating the truth in a way that connects to the audience's responsibilities and decision needs. That is very different from simply agreeing with them.

Understand Their Incentives

People interpret decisions through their responsibilities. Consider a recommendation to automate a major business process.

  • CEO may see strategic scalability.
  • CFO may see cost savings and capital requirements.
  • Operations may see process redesign.
  • HR may see workforce disruption.
  • Employees may see uncertainty about their jobs.
  • Customers may see faster service or reduced human interaction.

Same strategy. Different perspectives. Strong presentations anticipate these differences.

Identify the Decision Lens

Ask: Through what lens is this person most likely to evaluate our recommendation?

Possible lenses include:

  • financial;

  • strategic;

  • customer;

  • operational;

  • stakeholder;

  • ethical;

  • risk;

  • political;

  • social impact.

This should influence which Evidence receives the most attention.

Speak Their Language

Audience awareness also affects terminology. A CFO may immediately understand:

  • NPV;

  • IRR;

  • working capital;

  • EBITDA.

A community stakeholder may not. Likewise, a technical executive may expect more operational detail than a general board audience. Your goal is not to make the presentation sound more complicated. It is to make the message accessible without becoming simplistic.

The Audience Evidence Test

Different audiences may require different Evidence. Imagine the same recommendation:  Launch a customer loyalty initiative.

CEO Evidence

  • strategic fit;

  • competitive differentiation;

  • growth opportunity.

CFO Evidence

  • investment;

  • incremental profit;

  • ROI;

  • payback.

CMO Evidence

  • retention;

  • customer segments;

  • lifetime value;

  • engagement.

Operations Evidence

  • systems;

  • staffing;

  • process changes;

  • implementation timeline.

The recommendation has not changed. The proof that matters most has.

The Audience Test

Complete three statements before building the deck.

  • Our audience needs to believe that __________.
  • Their biggest Concern will probably be __________.
  • The Evidence that will matter most to them is __________.

Then add two more:

  • The question they are most likely to ask is __________.
  • The reason they might reject our recommendation is __________.

These five statements can dramatically improve how you structure the presentation.

Build for the Toughest Question

Once you understand the audience, ask: What would make this person uncomfortable with our recommendation? Perhaps:

  • the investment is too large;

  • the financial assumptions are aggressive;

  • implementation is too slow;

  • capabilities are missing;

  • stakeholders may resist;

  • the strategy is too risky.

Do not hide that issue. Build the presentation so the Evidence addresses it. That transforms audience awareness into strategic communication.

One Audience, Multiple Judges

Case competitions create an interesting challenge. The case may say you are presenting to the CEO, but the judging panel may include people with backgrounds in:

  • finance;

  • marketing;

  • consulting;

  • entrepreneurship;

  • operations.

Stay in the role established by the case. But build an argument robust enough that different judges can evaluate it. This is another reason why strong presentations combine:

STRATEGY + EVIDENCE + FINANCIALS + IMPLEMENTATION + RISK

Different judges may focus on different elements. The whole argument needs to hold together.

Discover Your MAD Skills Principle

Don't present to a company. Present to a decision-maker.

Understand:

  • what they care about,
  • what they fear,
  • what they need to decide,
  • what Evidence will make them believe you.

The Bottom Line

The same recommendation can be communicated very differently depending on the audience. The question is not simply, "What do we want to say?" It is: What does this decision-maker need from us to make a confident decision? When you can answer that question, your presentation becomes more relevant, more focused, and much more persuasive.

MAD Skills Drill

Before building the story, complete this quick team exercise.

The Presentation Decode
  • Our audience is:
  • They need to decide:
  • The most important thing they need to understand is:
  • We need them to believe:
  • Their biggest Concern is likely to be:
  • Our strongest Evidence is:
  • The question they are most likely to ask is:
  • We should leave this for Q&A:
  • We can leave this out entirely:

If the team agrees on these answers, you are ready to move from deciphering the communication challenge to building the story.

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