This is something I’ve done well and poorly at different times.
- Doing it well: Have a reall sense of what the exec cares about (brand, revenue, cost, etc) and build your case around that. Keep it focused on the value to them.
- Doing it poorly: Talk about it from my POV with jargon, processes - basicallly too much detail and data and not enough “heart”.
I try to prep as much as possible. I’ve gotten better at presenting/speaking over the years but doing practice runs. Another thing that works for me is thinking of my deck as modules that can be moved or ignored. If a leader seems to be onboard, then I don’t try to belabor the point. Move quickly to actions and anything that can seal the deal.