I work in a very large business and within that a specific B2B area.
The great thing about the area I work in, is the fact they operate more like a SMB, everyone is open and friendly. The role I do has high visibility, so I am often in a position to talk to Sales/commercial/Finacial diractors and it makes it vbery easy to get buy in.
I think the most effective way to communicate with company leaders is to connect operational improvements directly to business outcomes. Instead of focusing on the technical details of a new process, I try to explain what problem it solves and how it can save time, improve conversion, or make the company more scalable.
I also think it helps to involve key stakeholders before presenting a proposal to a larger group. Getting their feedback early makes it easier to address concerns, improve the proposal, and build support before implementation.
Especially in a fast-growing company, showing how better processes can reduce growing pains and replace manual ways of working with scalable ones can make the value much clearer to leadership.
Putting the headline of my perspective as a casual response and hearing their take
Then enhancing and editing their current approach and and make them feel supported
lead to a “but” and point out a pitfall - Make them see it infront of their eyes
then after closing the doors of their invalid solution
To get buy-in from executive leaders who may under-appreciate operational work, the key is translating process improvements directly into financial outcomes and business predictability. By framing proposals around metrics like revenue velocity, cost efficiency, and risk mitigation - while backing them up with clear data rather than just operational maintenance - we can show leaders that operations is a primary driver of sustainable growth.
I would communicate the value of my work by connecting the proposal to a specific business problem and measurable outcome. Instead of only explaining what I want to change, I would show leaders how the change could save time, reduce costs, improve efficiency, increase revenue, or improve the customer experience. I’d use data or a simple before-and-after comparison to make the impact clear, then address potential concerns and ask for feedback to build buy-in.
Hi @mbarba ,
One thing that’s worked well for me is to translate operational work into business outcomes rather than explaining the work itself.
Instead of telling leadership, “We need to rebuild the CRM” or “we need to improve our reporting,” I try to connect the recommendation to something they already care about - revenue visibility, sales efficiency, data quality, forecasting, or reducing manual work.
For example, rather than saying, “We should automate this process,” I’d frame it as, “This is currently taking the sales team 5 hours a week, and we can remove most of that manual work with automation.”
I also find it helps to bring a simple current state → proposed change → expected impact story to the conversation. Leaders usually don’t need every technical detail; they need to understand why the change matters and what decision you need from them.
And if there’s uncertainty, I’d rather be upfront about it than oversell the solution. Showing the assumptions behind the recommendation tends to build much more trust over time.
As it was stated in the lesson, visual communication is key. I feel that one of the most effective ways to communicate with leadership is through visual aids and concise bullet points that summarize an idea or plan. I also think staying on the same page as your counterparts is very helpful.
I use Monroe’s Motivated Sequence to communicate the value of my work and secure buy‑in from company leaders. I start by capturing attention with a strategic insight tied to their priorities. Then I establish the need — not just logically, but emotionally — by showing how the issue impacts teams, customers, and momentum. I present clear, right‑sized solutions without over‑communicating, and I help leaders visualize the positive outcomes: smoother operations, better alignment, and stronger revenue performance. Finally, I close with a simple, confident action step that makes it easy for leadership to move forward. This structure consistently helps me translate operational work into executive‑level value. Really appreciate the video and learned Monroe’s approach. I will forever use this when communicating ideas and proposals.
Effective communication is key to getting any idea implemented before an executive board. Start with an effective A3 that clearly explains the problem and grabs the audience’s attention. Explain the problem from an enlightened perspective that draws attention to it, and show a concrete solution with a few specific details. Include a few key visualizations that show why the problem exists and how implementing this solution will fix it. Then, lead with a statement or a question that states: This solution will bring effective results for the problem; can we implement this right away?
I have found that providing a visual along with an explanation of the proposal is essential. It helps the executive leaders better understand the material that is being presented. Speaking directly to the point and simple words and terminology is key.
In order to communicate clearly, I find that a well-reasoned presentation, complete with streamlined bullet points, supporting evidence, and visuals to be the most effective. Articulation is everything, and ensuring that you communicate clearly using both verbal and non-verbal cues can make or break your proposal. Avoid using technical terms, instead translating your proposal into a vocabulary familiar to them, like say finance or accounting terms. Examples would be projected savings over a period of X time, alternative solutions and their related costs, etc.