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Part II

PART II: Deciphering The Communication Challenge

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. Start by deciphering:

  • The Case
    • What is the actual problem?
  • The Audience
    • Who are we presenting to?
  • The Decision
    • What does the audience need to decide?
  • The Context
    • What is happening around this decision?
  • The Time
    • How much time do we have?
  • The Competition
    • What are judges likely to compare between teams?
  • The Objective
    • What do we need the judges to believe?

Deciphering Case Characteristics

  • Presentations for 6-hour cases should differ from those for 24-hour cases.
  • A 10-minute presentation requires different choices than a 20-minute presentation.
  • A financial turnaround case may need a different communication approach than a social enterprise case.
  • A case where the recommendation is obvious may need more emphasis on implementation.
  • A case with several strategically viable alternatives may need more emphasis on decision criteria.
  • A case with a highly emotional human dimension may benefit from a stronger opening connection.
  • A case involving a complex financial decision may require more visual evidence.

This is why: Don’t memorise a presentation template. Learn to decipher what the case requires.

The Presentation Deciphering Questions

Before building the deck, answer:

  • Who are we speaking to?
  • What do they care about?
  • What decision are they making?
  • What is the most important thing they need to understand?
  • What is the strongest evidence supporting our recommendation?
  • What is the most important objection they may have?
  • What must we communicate visually?
  • What can we leave for Q&A?
  • What can we leave out completely?

These questions should shape the presentation.

Chapter 4: Know Your Audience

Don’t present to a company. Present to a person. If the case says you are advising the CEO, CFO, CMO, board, city council, or nonprofit leadership team, understand what matters to that person.

A CEO may care about:

  • strategy;
  • growth;
  • profitability;
  • risk;
  • organisational capability.

A CFO may care more about:

  • investment;
  • cash flow;
  • margins;
  • return;
  • financial risk.

A CMO may focus on:

  • customer;
  • brand;
  • acquisition;
  • retention;
  • market positioning.

A government or nonprofit leader may have different priorities.

The Audience Test

  • Complete this sentence: Our audience needs to believe that __________.
  • Then: Their biggest concern will probably be __________.
  • And: The evidence that will matter most to them is __________.

This changes the way you build the deck.

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