Nancy Duarte, a renowned communication expert and founder of Duarte, Inc., dives into the intricacies of influencing executives. She highlights the importance of concise and structured messaging tailored to executives’ preferences. Expect to be grilled during briefings and prepare recommendations that are skimmable. Duarte shares insights on how executives are evaluated, emphasizing money, market, and exposure. Learn to craft impactful narratives that enhance data retention and align your communication with corporate goals.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Briefing Executives
Be brief when persuading executives, as they process information quickly.
Understand their preferred information format and seek a sponsor familiar with their communication style.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Read Aheads for Efficiency
Nancy Duarte and her team use "read aheads" (slide docs with dense, skimmable information) for approvals.
This allows for faster decision-making during meetings, focusing on questions instead of lengthy presentations.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Concise Presentations
Prepare concise 15-minute presentations for 30-minute executive briefings, leaving time for questions.
Recognize that executives' interruptions stem from their need for efficiency and focus.
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In 'Resonate,' Nancy Duarte focuses on the art of storytelling in presentations, emphasizing the importance of making the audience the hero and the presenter the mentor. The book explores how to structure presentations using mythic structures and the hero's journey, contrasting 'what is' with 'what could be' to create engagement. Duarte provides practical advice on understanding the audience, creating emotional contrasts, and using visual and delivery techniques to make presentations memorable and impactful. The book includes case studies, sample presentation slides, and dramatic techniques to help presenters deliver persuasive and transformative presentations[2][3][5].
Illuminate
David Corbin
slide:ology
The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations
Nancy Duarte
slide:ology, written by Nancy Duarte, combines conceptual thinking and inspirational design to help readers create influential presentations. The book provides practical approaches to visual story development, including connecting with specific audiences, turning ideas into informative graphics, and utilizing presentation technology effectively. It also includes insightful case studies from leading brands and emphasizes the importance of being a visual thinker to create impactful presentations.
DataStory
Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story
Nancy Duarte
DataStory by Nancy Duarte teaches professionals how to turn data into narratives that blend language, numbers, and graphics to drive action. The book emphasizes using storytelling frameworks to make data insights memorable and actionable, helping readers become strategic advisors and leaders in their organizations. Duarte draws from her experience working with thousands of data slides across various industries to provide practical tools for crafting impactful data stories.
Nancy Duarte: DataStory
Nancy Duarte is a communication expert who has been featured in Fortune, Time Magazine, Forbes, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and many others. Her firm, Duarte, Inc., is the global leader behind some of the most influential visual messages in business and culture.
Nancy has written many best-selling books, including Slide:ology*, Resonate*, and Illuminate*. She is the author of the new book DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story*.
In this conversation, Nancy and I discuss the realities of executive life, how executives are measured, and why you should expect to be grilled when briefing them. With intentional preparation, you’ll be prepared to more successfully influence executives both inside the organization — and with your customers.
Key Points
“The higher their level of authority, the more structured and brief your approach should be.” -Nancy Duarte
Time is an essential asset for executives. Appreciating how much they work to maximize efficiency can help you align better with their world.
Craft a recommendation that’s brief and easily skimmable. Leave time for questions and expect to be grilled.
Executives are measured on money (revenue/profit and costs), market (market share and time to market), and exposure (retention and risk).
Know how executives plan to consume information. Tailor your message and medium to align with these preferences.
Resources Mentioned
DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story* by Nancy Duarte
Duarte DataStory
Book Notes
Download my highlights from DataStory in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Success on Presentation Day, with David Sparks (episode 159)
Ignite Change Through Storytelling, with Nancy Duarte and Patti Sanchez (episode 268)
Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316)
Get Your Emails Read (Dave’s Journal)
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