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If you fear executives because they seem impatient, knowing why they are impatient will help you work better with them. It can also reduce your fear!

Whether you have frequent interactions with executives or the occasional presentation to them, insight about what executives fear can guide you to modify your people skills when you work with them. The results are amazing.

I often teach managers (technical and non-technical) how to make effective presentations to executives. These insights and practical tips have helped thousands.

1. Executives are pressured to perform broadly. They need to funnel info to hit the mark. When you blabber on with details before the main point, you scare the bejeebers out of them.
   Tip: Know your purpose and get to the point.




2. When executives feel that your need for validation and personal expression is more important to you than the business goal, you scare the bejeebers out of them.
   Tip: Their comprehension goes up and their fear goes down when you focus on their perspective.




3. When executives ask for one thing and you give them everything but that thing, they feel trapped. You scare the bejeebers out of them.
   Tip: Give them what they want. If you cannot deliver it, tell them how close you can get with another option.




4. When you tell them the problem without offering a feasible solution, they feel they are steering a ship with no crew. You scare the bejeebers out of them.
   Tip: Do your job; don’t ask them to do it!




5. When you hesitate, waffle, freeze in a fumble instead of recover, executives see only the weakness of the organization. You scare the bejeebers out of them.
   Tip: Think of what could go wrong and prepare how you will handle it.




6. When you ask for the sun and the moon when the organization is on shaky ground, executives witness mania instead of sanity. You scare the bejeebers out of them.
   Tip: Show them up front how your request/solution makes the ground firmer.

Remember, most of what executives do depends on others. That alone induces fear. They do not accomplish tasks purely with their skill and experience. Yet they are accountable for the success of the organization.

Do not add to their fear. Reduce it with preparation, insight, and focused communication.

A Salute: This post was inspired by Bruce Gabrielle’s 9 Tips to Nail Your Next Executive Presentation. Bruce states it so well: “Don’t be afraid of executives, be afraid for them.” Kudos Bruce.

From my professional experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach™

©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

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Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach™, advises, coaches, and trains professionals across diverse industries on customer service, teamwork, and leading change. She turns interaction obstacles into interpersonal success at work. See this site for workshop outlines, DVD info, and customer feedback.

As a coach, I specialize in transitions to help professionals meet some specific goal.  The transitions are from one behavior to another to achieve something new, different, or more.  

Some recent examples: 

• A Help Desk manager who wanted to be more assertive after receiving performance feedback in that light.
• A manager who wanted and needed better presentation skills for many aspects of her job.   She found the coaching fun and productive. 
• A systems analyst who wanted to relocate from the east coast to New Mexico and live a very different life.  She did not know where to begin to have this new life.   She is there now!
• A big thinker type – great at generating ideas, brainstorming, and creativity – needed to communicate with more focus.  The big thinker now uses an email template we created to communicate for impact. 

Why tap a coach?  Transitions from one behavior to another require more than just learning a new skill.    For most, it means overcoming blocks that stop learning and change.   There are many books out there about changing your career, your life, your outlook.  Ever read one and still no change?  As a coach, I inspire you to action!

ASK Kate!  This blog gives you the opportunity to pose your transition questions to me directly and get transition steps at no cost — until the end of March 2009.   I have extended this offer through the end of April 2009 to include followups to the International Help Desk Conference.   Many don’t want to post their questions here preferring instead to email me.   Either way is fine.

Let’s get started … Kate Nasser