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How to Impress Your Boss With Your Presentation

Last Updated: May 20, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by Chloe Carmichael, PhD . Chloe Carmichael, PhD is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who runs a private practice in New York City. With over a decade of psychological consulting experience, Dr. Chloe specializes in relationship issues, stress management, self esteem, and career coaching. She has also instructed undergraduate courses at Long Island University and has served as adjunct faculty at the City University of New York. Dr. Chloe completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York and her clinical training at Lenox Hill Hospital and Kings County Hospital. She is accredited by the American Psychological Association and is the author of “Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety” and “Dr. Chloe's 10 Commandments of Dating.” There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 36,516 times.

Giving a presentation in front of your boss can be a very nerve-wracking experience. Sometimes a raise or promotion might even depend on how well your presentation goes. Using music or sound in your PowerPoint presentation is a good way of livening up your talk. However, this may not be enough or as easy as it sounds. For a truly impressive presentation, you’ll need to take it a step further and consider things like how to dress, how to speak, and how your audience will interpret the content of your presentation. With a little work and planning, you can impress your boss with your presentation.

Creating an Effective Presentation

• This can affect many aspects of your presentation – from the kind of music you choose to the type of clothes you wear.
• A more formal presentation in front of your boss or other executives from your company would require formal business attire (suit for men, business suit or nice dress for women) and more formal sounding music accompaniment (like elevator music), while a presentation in front of students might warrant more casual attire (slacks and button-up shirt for men, slacks and a nice top for women) and even allow for more contemporary/fun music along with your presentation.

• Consider the venue. As it relates to the tips above, a formal setting (like a conference room or auditorium) will require a formal presentation whereas a presentation given more casually in your boss’s office might require fewer formalities. [3] X Research source

• Have your presentation flow in a logical and informative way. Have your notes lined up with you visuals – using clear cues for yourself so you don’t get mixed up.

• Put all of the data into a spreadsheet and make copies for everyone at the meeting. Or create a PowerPoint slide show to go along with your presentation.
• An effective PowerPoint presentation includes high quality visual images instead of cheesy clip-art, works to limit the amount of text that appears on each slide, and presents data in a logical sequence that is easy to follow along with. [6] X Research source

Delivering a Great Presentation

• For men, wear slacks, a suit jacket, and a tie. For women, wear a nice dress or a business suit.
• And remember that you are representing your company, by extension, when you are presenting – so you want to dress accordingly.

• This means that you should use confident body language like not crossing your arms, making eye contact, and standing up straight.
• You can try practicing at home ahead of time and asking a friend to tell you if they think you are speaking with confidence.
• If you make a mistake, just keep going. You can correct yourself, but don’t draw more attention to your mistake by dwelling on it or by being obviously embarrassed. Everyone makes mistakes, but the way you recover from yours will be what your boss remembers the most.

• Speak with a steady pace. Talking quickly can be perceived as a sign of nervousness, so slow your words down during your presentation. If you speak too quickly, you may stumble over your words more frequently as well, so make a conscious effort to slow it down.
• It may also be harder for your audience to grasp and digest the ideas you’re discussing if you say everything too quickly.

• Try to think ahead to what questions people might have about the topic – maybe what questions you had when you first started working on the project – and explain it to your audience from that perspective.
• Try saying things like, “This may seem like an overwhelming amount of information, but I’ll walk you through it.” Or, “Let me take you through the process step-by-step.”

Impressing Your Boss With Your Dedication

• If someone asks a question you don’t know the answer to, give a positive response about how you are going to look into that further – something like, “What a great suggestion. I haven’t fully developed that aspect of the project yet, but I will absolutely consider this as I move forward.”

• This kind of follow through after the presentation will impress your boss with your dedication to the work and doing a good job for the company.

• Take the feedback to heart and implement any helpful changes that you might receive as constructive criticism.

Chloe Carmichael, PhD

Look at criticism as a learning opportunity instead of a negative comment. If your boss gives you constructive criticism, that's a good sign! It means they want you to be better at your job. Reframing what you perceive as negative feedback as a chance to learn will allow you to develop personally and professionally.

• Try saying something like, “I would really love to continue growing and developing my role within the company. If you are open to it, I would like to take on some additional responsibilities around the office.”

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/how-to-keep-your-audience-focused-on-your-presentation/
• ↑ http://www.skillsyouneed.com/present/presentation-method.html
• ↑ http://www.duarte.com/know-the-presentation-venue/
• ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-dazzle-your-boss-and-everyone-else-in-an-important-meeting
• ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/two-genius-ways-impress-your-boss-tracey-harrington-mccoy
• ↑ http://www.garrreynolds.com/preso-tips/design/
• ↑ https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/06/20/10-smart-tips-to-impress-the-boss-your-first-day
• ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-a-presentation-that-will-impress-your-boss-2015-7

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How To Present an Idea to Your Boss (With Template)

Depending on how you present your new idea to your boss, you could be facing two very different reactions. If you want to nail that “yes,” you need to treat your pitch seriously—and outline solutions and a clear execution plan. Otherwise, your great idea may not see the light of day. Worse, it might end up on someone else’s to-do list.

With this in mind, we asked nine entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) to share which steps you should take before walking through that door.

When you pitch a project, clearly lay out in advance how management should judge its success quickly. What’s the first milestone that will indicate the project is a success? Set a specific goal—10 new customers in the first three months, perhaps. Plan step-wise goals instead of one huge long-term one. That means management just has to invest in the first stage of the project.

How to Pitch Your Big Ideas to the Boss | Leadership Speaker | Ross Shafer

How to present an idea to your supervisor

When you are getting ready to present an idea to your supervisor, it may be helpful to follow these steps:

1. Gather information

Before you present your idea, gather as much information as you can about your idea. Common ideas that individuals approach their supervisors with include the workload at the company, production issues or improvements, company culture and more. Narrow down your discussion topic so your boss knows what to expect from the conversation.

Consider typing all of the relevant information you find you can compile your findings accurately and securely. Once you have information to support your idea, you can type out the potential talking points associated with each fact or item you included.

2. Propose revisions or changes

Next, you can formulate a solution to the problems you have listed or ideas you have for impactful changes. Your supervisor may appreciate that you not only took the time to identify key areas for improvement, but that you also made an effort to brainstorm viable solutions or changes.

3. Anticipate questions and practice your answers

In order to maximize your presentation, you may want to prepare answers to difficult questions ahead of time. A good way to do this is to picture yourself in a management position listening to your pitch. Think about what questions you might ask. A supervisor may want to better understand the financial implications of any proposed solutions or ideas, as well as what implementing your idea means for you, your coworkers and the company as a whole. Alternatively, they may want to know how your idea works with the companys values and what part you play in it.

You can consider additional questions regarding:

Your supervisor may greatly appreciate the extra effort youve put into answering their questions beforehand. It shows that youre dedicated to the problem and to finding a solution.

4. Talk with others in the company

Talking with coworkers can help you gain perspective on the problem you have identified or ideas that you are having. Some coworkers may feel the same as you do and can potentially help you figure out the details of your presentation to be more inclusive of their perspectives. This can help your idea feel more viable, and you can tell your supervisor that other employees feel the same.

5. Be mindful

Being mindful of your content and the time youre devoting to your presentation as a professional courtesy. Try to keep your presentation concise so that both you and your supervisor can fulfill your other job responsibilities.

Its also a good idea to be mindful of how your idea might impact other people, including your supervisor. Talking to other coworkers about your presentation is a good way to see if your idea is inclusive and sensitive to everyones needs.

6. Be confident in yourself

Many supervisors appreciate confidence because it demonstrates that you are comfortable approaching them and expressing your ideas. When you are confident, you may give a more compelling presentation because of your enthusiasm and preparedness. Consider rehearsing your presentation before you meet with your supervisor to increase your confidence. You can also ask your coworkers to help you practice your presentation and provide more ideas to discuss.

Why is it important to use a template to present an idea to your boss?

Ideas and projects benefit greatly from deliberate organization, especially when presenting them to your boss. When things are organized and presented well, theyre easier to understand and seem more professional. A template can help you arrange ideas into a presentable format.

Template for presenting an idea to your supervisor

Ideas are often easier to present and understand when theyre structured in a professional way. Heres a template to use for your next idea:

[ Introduction: State what you are going to discuss, why you are going to discuss it and the types of information you will present ]

[ Part one: Identify the problem or idea in-depth. You might include how the idea or problem first came to your attention and introduce on your proposed solution ]

[ Part two: Elaborate on your proposed solution and include charts, graphs or supporting documents. If you have spoken to your team members and gained useful information from them, you can include that here ]

[ Part three: Present the information you researched regarding cost, workflow changes or other items potentially of interest to your supervisor ]

[ Closing: Thank your supervisor for their time and attention and allow them to ask questions ]

Example for presenting an idea to your supervisor

Here is an example idea presentation using the template above:

Dear Mr. Garreth,

Im happy to have this opportunity to present my idea to you. Ive been looking closely at our production process over the last three months, and I think this idea might allow for both greater savings on production costs and increased productivity on the production line. I have conducted research and spoken with my colleagues to receive their input on the situation and my proposed solution, and I believe the team members would receive this idea well if implemented.

The problem we are having is that we use two separate machines for packaging and boxing our products, which means we pay for maintenance, supplies and electrical costs for two different machines. I have analyzed these operating costs for the previous month, which amounts to $859.23 total for the two machines.

Ive spoken to several team members who agree that the two machine system is slow and prone to issues. Over the course of the last three months, one or both of our packaging machines have experienced downtime for repairs, amounting to 34 total hours lost. Ive created a graph detailing the maintenance and downtime costs associated with both machines.

My solution is to acquire the Hyperion 5200 all-in-one packaging machine to reduce long-term production costs. Right now, the machine is on sale through our supplier for $15,000, as opposed to its regular price of $18,000. This machine combines both the packaging and boxing process into one, which would significantly reduce operating costs.

Ive estimated that the cost of using two separate machines, which I noted as $859.23 per month for operations, to be around $11,810.76 per year if we include an estimated $1,500 in maintenance costs. This is about 80% of the cost of the Hyperion 5200.

In addition to long-term savings on operations and maintenance, using just one machine can allow us to move two employees to another part of the production line where they can help with other tasks. This is because the Hyperion only requires two people to operate as opposed to the four people required for both of our current machines. This reallocation of staff may allow us to speed the pace of production overall.

Thank you for considering my idea, and Im happy to answer any questions you have.

How do you present an idea to your boss?

• Gather information. Before you present your idea, gather as much information as you can about your idea. …
• Propose revisions or changes. …
• Anticipate questions and practice your answers. …
• Talk with others in the company. …
• Be mindful. …
• Be confident in yourself.

How do you present a new idea to a team?

• Frame your suggestion to match the goals of your boss. …
• Pay extra attention to your boss’s problems. …
• Build the reputation for being a great performer. …
• Take advantage of the FOMO. …
• Look for inspiration. …
• Build a coalition. …
• Use data to tell a story.

How can I propose a new idea?

• Detail Its Importance. If employees don’t understand the reason you want to implement a new idea, it can be hard for them to wrap their heads around it. …
• Explain How Each Person Fits In. …
• Encourage People to Ask Questions. …
• Request Feedback. …
• Find a Candidate With Passion.

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8 Tips for Making a Presentation That Dazzles the Boss With Your Creativity It's not unusual to have stage jitters. When the audience is your boss, it's unusual not to.

By John Boitnott Edited by Dan Bova Jun 21, 2016

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

As if the pressure to develop and deliver a presentation that excites your audience weren't enough, trying to impress your boss with that presentation is a whole other set of concerns. In most cases, if you plan with your organization's goals in mind, you shouldn't have a problem delivering a presentation that your boss will respond positively to.

However, if you really want to impress your boss and your team, and keep them from yawning, give these eight tactics a try.

1. Use metaphors.

Including metaphors in your presentation can be useful since metaphors paint a picture in the minds of audience members. The idea can tap into previous experience to introduce new ideas.

For example, an Internet entrepreneur used a pair of scissors, knife, bottle opener, and nail filer as examples of various tools that companies use when selling products online. He then pulled out a Swiss Army Knife to illustrate that his idea would consolidate all of these tools.

When finding the right metaphor for your presentation, Nancy Duarte suggests in the Harvard Business Review that you dig "into your own prior knowledge for connections that make the idea brighter in your mind. The brighter that idea shines for you, the more likely it is to resonate with your audience."

2. Be humorous.

Just because this might be a serious presentation with consequences for your career and the business doesn't mean that you have to be stiff. By adding a little bit of humor to your presentation you're not only breaking-up the monotony, you're demonstrating your own charisma and helping make your point more persuasive.

More importantly, adding a little humor to your presentation can make it more impactful. According to Michelle Gielan, cofounder of the Institute for Applied Positive Research, "laughter stimulates the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine which activates the learning centers in the brain."

Related: Use Humor to Get Your Marketing Message Noticed

3. Play music.

This may appear to be a little counterproductive. After all, won't music be a distraction? Not according to Ronald A. Berk's study Research on PowerPoint: From Basic Features to Multimedia .

Berk found that playing music during a presentation "can increase attention levels, improve retention and memory, extend focused learning time, and expand thinking skills." Keep in mind, however, that in most cases playing music throughout the presentation is probably too much. Consider using music during your introduction or during key parts of your presentation.

4. Use activities.

Sometimes a simple activity is enough to drive your point home. It could be something as simple as having your boss or team write down their goals and then having brainstorming session on how to accomplish those goals. You could also hand out quizzes and ask your audience to guess what your next slide is going to be. You can even split the group up by having 20 percent of them move to one side of the room to demonstrate what your goal of 20 percent growth will look like, instead of using a slide with a graph.

Related: The Do's and Don'ts of Giving a Killer Presentation

5. Prove your point.

Stats are a powerful way to prove your point. But, presenting too much data can be overwhelming - no matter how well it is presented. Instead, use other ways to prove your point. One way to do this is by showing your boss how your competitors are succeeding, which could be why your new ideas might be so important to implement. Or, if you have a physical product, provide a demonstration of how superior a product it is - like pouring water over your new waterproof phone case during the presentation.

6. Pose questions.

Skip the monologue and get your boss and entire team involved by asking them relevant questions such as their insights and experiences. This not only gets your boss involved, it gives them the opportunity to talk about themselves and discover for themselves the real value in your presentation.

If you anticipate more complex questions, consider bringing in an expert to assist you in answering these questions. If you were pushing for a new corporate website you could bring in a web designer to answer any of the technical questions that your boss may ask. The web designer might even bring in a few ideas or visuals.

7. Go beyond PowerPoint.

PowerPoint presentations and slides can be spiced up through simple steps like being consistent and limiting font sizes and colors that also reflect the theme or design of your organization. But, there are also a number of helpful tools that can make your presentation stand out more than just the standard slideshow or Powerpoint.

Powtoon could be used to create an animated video to accompany your presentation, Ease.ly generates infographics, and Prezi gives you the opportunity to adapt your presentation in real-time depending on your audience's response.

By using tools like videos, you can increase everything from comprehension, understanding, memory, and even deep learning of your audience.

Related: Avoid the PowerPoint Trap by Having Less Wordy Slides

8. Make your presentation public.

Chances are that your boss isn't going to make an executive decision immediately after you've given your presentation. That's why you should provide them with materials they can review following the presentation like brochures or marketing kits.

But, wouldn't it be more effective to place your presentation on a site like Slideshare.net so that your slides are available to your boss and team whenever they want to review them? This practice will not only save you time from printing out materials, it also prevents the possibility of your boss misplacing the handouts.

Even more importantly, having your presentation public (when appropriate) shows your clients and customers that you're an industry thought leader and it also allows them to share their insights. Companies like Apple have done this and it's become an important part of their brand and marketing message.

With a little thought and effort you can make your presentation more creative and what you've always hoped it would be. As a bonus, you will have more fun getting your presentation ready.

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10 Tips for Presenting at Work

So you have to do a presentation at work? Presenting in meetings or to your boss is always a bit nerve-wracking and yet it’s a critical part of project communications . Here are 10 tips for giving a fantastic work presentation.

1. Know your audience

First, know your audience. Who are you presenting to? And where are they in the organizational hierarchy?

The presentation you give to a team of technical system developers is going to be very different to the presentation you give to the CEO, even if you are talking about the same project.

You should plan to tailor your presentation and shape it for the audience, and for that you have to know a bit about them.

The good news is that you probably know your work colleagues quite well, even if they are clients. Think about what they want to know and how much knowledge they already have about your work.

When you are thinking about how to give a presentation at work, consider:

• What are the objectives of the presentation?
• How can you illustrate your points with data or facts?
• What will people be most interested in hearing (instead of what you are most interested in telling them)?
• What do you want them to do after the presentation (make a decision etc)?

You have to know your material, so that you can be prepared for questions. But more than that, you have to know how to shape it to tell the story you want them to take away.

Do they need to know the numbers? Focus on sharing the figures that have the most impact and explain your points most accurately. Share graphs, charts or other visual information to help get the point across, and be prepared to dive into the detail if requested.

Do they want to see progress? Share a Gantt chart or status update as a one-pager. Use a roadmap or timeline to illustrate the bigger picture.

Get your data together

Next, get the data together that you will need for your presentation. Plan the flow of your presentation so that you hit the key points and make the takeaways clear.

Once you have your key objectives in mind, you can start putting any slides or other materials together, bringing together your data, your objectives and the format you are going to use for presenting, whether that is Google Slides, Prezi, PowerPoint, a live demo of software or something else.

It’s also worth physically preparing by speaking your presentation out loud – a rehearsal (or several). You can rehearse your presentation with a mentor if you are worried. This can help you deal with anxiety about presenting.

3. Keep it short

You’re presenting in a meeting, or other work setting. This isn’t an evening seminar where you’ve got to deliver an hour-long speech, or an after-dinner-style humorous lecture. Keep it short.

People appreciate short. Go for 20 minutes, that’s often long enough. If you have a lot of material you will have to decide what to leave in, but remember you can always have extra data to hand to show if there are questions on something you didn’t cover in detail in your presentation.

Or you can print it out and hand it around if you are meeting in person, or follow up the presentation with an email with further information if people are interested.

Keep your slides short too. Not too many words on a slide. Remember the rule of 16:

• No more than 16 words on a slide
• No less than 16 point font on a slide.

And frankly, I’d go for much bigger font. However, most of the guidance on font size for presentations is aimed at people giving presentations in conference rooms, not meeting-sized rooms with a dozen people who have the presentation on their tablets or their PA printed it out for them. Go as big as you can, while still getting your message across.

4. Avoid jargon

This is a rule for all workplace communication. Avoid jargon and acronyms in your presentation, even if you are presenting to colleagues who know what they mean. Make it easy to understand at a glance. Give context. Help people understand by not making it difficult for them.

You’ll know what language is appropriate for your colleagues and customers. If you don’t, put some material together and ask someone who does not know about your project whether they can understand what you are on about.

If they don’t quickly and easily get the message, go back to basics and remove some of the terminology until you have a version that hits the right level.

Tip: Typically, the higher up the organization you go, the less project-specific jargon is relevant (or appreciated). But you know your colleagues, so factor in their prior level of knowledge as you choose your words.

5. Present successes as well as challenges

When you are presenting your work to your boss, remember to talk about the things you have managed to do well.

I know when I get ‘boss time’ I want to get her advice on the difficult situations, talk about the challenges I need her to unblock for me and work together to sort out the sticky things. But you should also make time for talking about what went well.

When you present your work to your manager, try to get a balance between getting decisions and support and also sharing some of your successes (either personally, or on behalf of your team).

6. Make eye contact

Whether you are meeting one or two people, or presenting to a room full of work colleagues at an internal Town Hall style event, make eye contact.

Focus on a few people around the room and share your gaze broadly. It helps make people feel like the talk is aimed at them and that you are interested in their responses. It also helps you spot who isn’t interested in what you are saying!

If you feel weird looking people in the eye, look at the middle of their forehead. They won’t be able to tell you aren’t making ‘true’ eye contact and will still feel included in the discussion.

7. Use body language effectively

If you don’t know what effective body language is, it will be hard to emanate it. Watch the powerful people at work, or your manager when she gives a presentation, and see how they move when presenting to groups.

In a meeting, you will be giving a presentation sitting down most likely, to your peers or colleagues.

In a larger setting, you might be behind a podium or in front of a meeting room full of people, some of whom will find it difficult to see you if they are at the back.

Think about your body language consciously. There are some easy things to do to make your body language more powerful.

• Do not read from a script
• Stand up if you think people can’t see you
• Ask questions – perhaps that’s not truly body language, but it’s another way to engage the audience.

The video below is quite old, but it shows Body Talk expert Richard Newman talking about the palms up/palms down gesture – so subtle, but so powerful, and so easy to incorporate into your work presentation.

8. Get creative: work presentation ideas

PowerPoint slides, anyone?

Slides are the classic way to put information into a presentation but you don’t need to be limited to that. See if you can include more creative ways to show your project or status updates . How about:

• A short video from a colleague or customer, telling a story
• A product demo, or something that can be passed around
• A set of wireframes or clickable demo
• A mock up graphic on a slide instead of a flat screenshot.

Even using full-screen images with an overlay for your text will help you make your slides more interesting.

This next tip will also help your meeting be more interactive and interesting…

9. Present with a colleague

If you are nervous about presenting at work, see if you can present with a colleague. This could even be your boss.

Here’s how to present with a colleague:

• Work out the content of your presentation
• Decide who is going to present each part
• Practice the handoffs so you can transition smoothly between each speaker. It’s less disruptive if you change speaker once or twice, not after every slide
• Agree who is going to field questions. Someone should invite and make the initial response to a question, even if that is simply handing it off to the other person to answer.

Presenting with a colleague is more work. You have to work together on the talk to make it look effortless, and that means planning in prep time. However, it’s worth it for lots of reasons, not least because it can help with anxiety to have someone with you on the day, and you can back each other up.

Switching between presenters means the audience isn’t constantly listening to just one voice, which makes the session more interactive and interesting.

Your colleague can also give you feedback about your presentation style (if you want it). You could both give each other feedback on how you come across during your rehearsals. It can be really valuable to have friendly, constructive feedback.

How do you start a presentation with your boss?

Follow the steps above to prepare the content. Personally, I would expect my boss take the lead in the presentation, unless she specifically asked me to. Therefore, I’d expect her to start the presentation, stating our names and who we were, and perhaps handing over to me so I could give a brief introduction off myself.

Then the content of the presentation starts, and we’d switch between presenters as planned.

I would let her field the questions, and provide expert input to the answers as required.

10. Prepare for questions

Sometimes there won’t be time for questions. Other times you need to expect to be grilled.

If you are presenting to management or to your boss, you should expect and welcome questions. It means they were (probably) listening!

If you know your topic, and you can get access to any extra information, then you’ll be fine. Don’t be put under pressure to answer on the spot if you don’t know the numbers or the details. Your work meeting is not Dragon’s Den or Shark Tank: just say you don’t have those details to hand and you’ll get back to them later that day.

Think about when you are going to invite questions. At a work based presentation given in a meeting setting, you should be prepared to answer questions at any point. Be ready to be interrupted. You aren’t giving a conference paper, so expect there to be someone in the room who wants to know more about everything . Be ready!

Pin for later reading:

Project manager, author, mentor

Elizabeth Harrin is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management in the UK. She holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University, and several project management certifications including APM PMQ. She first took her PRINCE2 Practitioner exam in 2004 and has worked extensively in project delivery for over 20 years. Elizabeth is also the founder of the Project Management Rebels community, a mentoring group for professionals. She's written several books for project managers including Managing Multiple Projects .

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How to Present to Senior Executives

• Nancy Duarte

Cut to the chase. Keep their attention.

Senior executives are one of the toughest crowds you’ll face as a presenter. They’re incredibly impatient because their schedules are jam-packed — and they have to make lots of high-stakes decisions , often with little time to weigh options. So they won’t sit still for a long presentation with a big reveal at the end. They’ll just interrupt you before you finish your shtick.

• ND Nancy Duarte is a best-selling author with thirty years of CEO-ing under her belt. She’s driven her firm, Duarte, Inc., to be the global leader behind some of the most influential messages and visuals in business and culture. Duarte, Inc., is the largest design firm in Silicon Valley, as well as one of the top woman-owned businesses in the area. Nancy has written six best-selling books, four have won awards, and her new book, DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story , is available now. Follow Duarte on Twitter: @nancyduarte or LinkedIn .

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The 3 keys to making a presentation that will impress your boss

Presenting to one of your higher-ups may be a nerve racking experience, but it can be a crucial time to stand out as an employee.

A great way to learn how to impress your bosses is to familiarize yourself with the traits other leaders look for in their employees.

Darlene Price, president of Well Said, Inc. , and  author of " Well Said! ," has interviewed more than 200 senior leaders in Fortune 100 companies. She asked them, "What qualities do you value most in speakers who present to you?"

There were three common responses:

1. Be clear.

"Create a structured message with lucid logic that is easy to follow and understand," Price says. A well-structured and ordered speech "shows the decision maker that you are prepared and organized," she says.

It starts with having an effective framework, meaning clear opening, body, and closing sections. Additionally, it's better to use quantifiable language, such as "25% growth," as opposed to generalizations like "significant increase," Price says.

2. Be concise.

"Don't make executives wait for the punch-line, which tests their patience," Price says. "Deliver the gist right away." 

Including a preview in your opening is important, but it shouldn't drag on. Introduce your purpose and key points, and then jump into your main idea, Price says. "Provide supporting material ideally using no more than three key points," Price says. And finally, close out your discussion with a brief recap and a suggestion of future action.

The goal is to provide an exciting proposition without offering too much information. Deliver the need-to-know facts rather than the nice-to-know details, Price says.

3. Be credible.

Credibility is key in any field, but lacking it will be detrimental to your presentation. There are three main areas where speakers can improve their credibility, Price says:

• Know your audience: Prove that you've done your homework and tailor your message around the specific audience.
• Look and sound the part: Use confident body language, dress professionally, and speak with a steady pace.
• Embrace the Q&A: Expect questions and objections, and approach them calmly and confidently. Be honest if you don't know the answer.

Each of the three traits to high impact communication, if done correctly, work well together. "You will inspire trust in the minds of your key stakeholders and deliver a confident, convincing message that gets results," Price says.

Watch: How 'The Price Is Right' is made

• Main content

Mar. 1, 2021

Five tips for presenting professional development to your boss, today’s professional skills landscape is moving faster than ever before. are you staying up-to-date on your skills.

Whether it is technology, globalization or other disruptive market forces, there is constant pressure to better your skillset to maintain relevance and marketability within your industry. Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities for professional development, so you don’t have to look far for courses, workshops or professional conferences to provide you with additional avenues for learning. The question is, how do you present these opportunities to your boss in such a way that she will be willing to underwrite your professional development? Most companies have resources designated to support professional development, so all you have to do is convince your manager that it’s worth it.

Here are five tips to make your case:

These three words, “Return on Investment,” are essential for a successful case for support. Make it clear to your boss what skills or tools you will gain through your training and how they will affect the bottom line of the organization. Will you be able to automate a manual process with a new software package, better identify potential clients through data analytics or better manage your team through advanced leadership techniques? Make it clear to your boss just what you will bring back to your office

Trainee to trainer

Will you be able to pass along your upgraded toolkit to your organization? If so, lay out your plan for becoming a super-user, an in-house trainer, or a leadership coach, and make your enthusiasm to help the organization succeed clear to your boss. Playing one of these roles increases your value and makes your role more critical to the organization’s success.

Personal development plan

Tie your professional development to your personal development plan. This personalized growth plan should include goals for development within your organization and how these goals relate to the organization’s strategic plan. You should discuss this plan with your manager frequently so that he is already familiar with it when you request professional development funding. By asserting your commitment to the organization, you make it easier for a manager to invest in you.

Do your homework

Make sure you are able to answer questions that your manager will likely ask: Why do you need to take this course at this point of your career? What is the benefit of this new skill or toolkit to the organization (see 1-3 above)? Where else do they offer this same training? Can you take this course online? Is this the highest-quality, most cost-effective way to take this course/workshop? If your manager sees that you have already done your homework, she will be more likely to say yes.

When making your case to your boss, be honest about skills that you need to develop to be successful, and where your current skillset falls short. Your boss will appreciate your openness and candor. *Caveat: If there is a skillset that you should already have, given the nature of the job you were hired to do, you may not want to be quite so candid. Otherwise, your boss may second-guess your hire in the first place.

To sum up, be prepared to make the case that the investment in your professional development is worth it to your company. By connecting your development to the organization’s success, you make it easy for a savvy manager to make that investment in you. What tips have proven to be successful for you?

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4 Affordable Ways to Boost Your Professional Value Before Asking for a Raise

I f you want to get a pay raise in 2024, it's important to go into the conversation well-equipped. Show your boss that you are a top performer who adds value for the organization, and you'll be more likely to get a big pay raise. One good way to improve your personal finances is to increase your professional value.

Let's look at a few ways to make yourself more valuable to employers -- and get more money in your paycheck.

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1. Make a "promotion presentation" of highlights from your job

Before you look for a new job or ask for a promotion , don't just update your resume. Create a slide deck or Google Doc that shows all the ways you've helped your team and made your boss's life easier.

Sometimes in the everyday rush of getting things done, it's easy to lose track of just how productive and valuable you are to your current employer. Don't wait for your annual performance review. Start now.

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If you were going to pitch yourself to your boss to show why you deserve a raise, what would that "promotion presentation" look like? Here are a few ideas to include:

• Achieving "big wins" and success stories: How have you helped the organization save money, save time, or make more money?
• Delivering key projects: Where have you made the biggest difference in the past year or two?
• Changing roles and responsibilities: Has the scope of your job changed recently? Are you already taking on extra responsibilities without extra pay? Show how you're already doing the (higher-paying) job that you want.
• Leading better collaboration: Have you helped onboard new employees, build a bigger team, or improve the way your team works?
• Driving creative solutions: Have you brought new ideas to your boss that have helped your team unlock value, build better processes, or serve customers in better ways?

Why this is a good way to boost your professional value: Bosses are busy, and they often lose track of just how much work you're getting done, and all the important ways you're making their lives easier. Take some time to put it all in writing.

How much it costs: $0 (you just have to spend some time)

2. Boost your career skills with LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn isn't just for job-seekers, recruiters, and career networking. Even if you're happily employed and have no intention of jumping ship to a new company, you can use LinkedIn Learning for affordable online courses. LinkedIn Learning offers over 22,000 online courses that you can access with an affordable monthly subscription.

LinkedIn Learning courses include a wide range of career skills, such as:

• Spreadsheet skills
• Data analysis
• Generative AI
• DevOps foundations
• Product and industrial design

Why this is a good way to boost your professional value: When you complete a LinkedIn course, you can get a certificate of completion badge that shows up on your LinkedIn profile. This can help show your boss (or future employers) that you have relevant skills and that you take initiative to keep learning.

How much it costs: LinkedIn offers a one-month free trial, and then the cost is $39.99 per month.

3. Get a certificate at a community college

Especially if you're at an early stage of your career, or if you want to make a big career change, going back to school to earn a degree can be a great way to boost your professional value. But not everyone has time (or money) to get a four-year college degree. Fortunately, there are local community colleges that offer affordable certificate programs. In just a few months or less, you can get trained, certified, and ready to get your foot in the door with a new career field that pays a good wage.

For example, in my home city, Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) offers several certificate programs, such as:

• IT/Helpdesk Fundamentals
• Nurse Aide (CNA)
• Advanced Nurse Aide
• Commercial Vehicle Operator Training (Class A CDL)

Why this is a good way to boost your professional value: Taking initiative and upgrading your skills shows that you care about your career growth. Some companies might even pay for your training, or reimburse you for tuition.

How much it costs: Tuition depends on the college and the certificate program. But as an example, as of Jan. 31, 2024, DMACC certificate course costs ranged from $549 (plus books and supplies) for the Nurse Aide (CNA) certificate, to $947.50 for Phlebotomy, to $4,900 for Class A CDL.

4. Join a local networking group

Sometimes the best way to boost your professional value is with real-life interaction. Get out there and mingle. Go to networking events at your local Chamber of Commerce. Join a community organization like Rotary and meet local business leaders. Look for events at local co-working spaces or startup incubators -- these places often host lunch and learns or after hours networking events where you can meet local entrepreneurs.

Why this is a good way to boost your professional value: Improving your career network is always a good idea. Find out what career skills are most in-demand where you live, and get informed about who's hiring, who you might like to meet, and how you can find new opportunities.

How much it costs: Likely around $0-$50 per month. Many networking events are free, or require a modest monthly membership or per-event admission fee.

Bottom line: Boosting your professional value is often a matter of investing a bit of time, effort, and money into your career. Investing in your professional value is like buying stock in your own career. This can be the best investment of all.

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