I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about strategies for “influencing up.” People have been seeking my insights on communicating with senior leaders confidently and influentially. So here are some tips to help.

Do Your Research

Learn what you can about the people you want to influence. What are their goals, challenges, and priorities? If you understand their perspective, you can tailor your message to align with what’s important to them. And you can prepare responses for potential questions and objections.

Be Concise and Clear

Senior leaders are typically pressed for time and are not interested in highly detailed information. My mantra when communicating with executives is “Be brief, be bright, be gone.”

Give senior leaders the “executive summary,” and be prepared with supporting detail to respond to any questions they ask. 

Another way to think about this is to START with the CONCLUSION and then follow up with a few facts that support your conclusion. 

Use Data to Support Your Message

Senior leaders often rely on data to make decisions. Think about the relevant data you can share that supports your recommendations. Visualize that data in an infographic or chart to reinforce how your proposal aligns with business objectives.

Speak Their Language

Avoid using technical jargon and acronyms they may not understand. Use plain language and focus on the business benefits of your ideas.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practicing your message is always a good idea. If you’re feeling nervous, practice will help to boost your confidence. I encourage you to run a stopwatch on your phone to see how long it takes to convey your message and identify ways to streamline it if necessary. 

If you are intimidated by the positional power of senior leaders, keep in mind that they are people too. Bring your authentic self to the conversation and connect with them on a human level.

Wishing you the best!