It’s not outstanding competence that makes an administrator a good presenter.
“Competence alone is not enough to get a yes vote from the partners,” says executive speech coach Chris Witt of Witt Communications in San Diego.
What’s more, the best ideas aren’t always what appeal to the partners.
What determines success is how well the proposal is communicated. And good communication is a skill any administrator can acquire.
Suppose the administrator wants the firm to buy a new billing software. Here’s how to proceed.
First a little back-room work
The job of getting a proposal approved starts long before the actual presentation, Witt says.
The real negotiating begins behind the scenes with the power players. Generally, there are three of them—the advocate, the main player, and the opponent. Talk with each one beforehand.
Partner Advocate. This is the partner who has historically supported the administrator or who has already expressed support for the software purchase.
Go here first and spell out the plan: “I’m going to propose at our next meeting that we buy a new billing software. I’d like to run my reasoning by you.“
Give the reasons and then ask “Can I count on your support?“
If the answer is yes, get the lay of the land: “Which partners do you think I need to be concerned about?” And when Partner Advocate tells who probably won’t support the proposal, ask “Can you give me some ideas on how to approach that partner?“
Depending on the comfort level, the administrator may be able to ask Partner Advocate to pave the way with the potential opponent before the meeting.
Partner Main Player. This is the senior or managing partner. Go here “to give a heads-up out of respect,” Witt says. “Main players get ticked off when they are left out of the loop.” They don’t like surprises, “and they resist if they aren’t kept in the know.”
All that needs to be said here is “I want to give you a heads-up about a presentation I plan to make at our next meeting. It’s a proposal to buy new billing soft- ware. I thought you should know about it ahead of time.“
Partner Opponent. This is the partner the advocate identified earlier. If the advocate doesn’t agree to approach this partner, the administrator has to take the bull by the horns.
It can be a dicey conversation, particularly if Partner Opponent doesn’t like the administrator personally.
Too bad.
Be direct: “I plan to propose that we buy a new billing software. I know that in the past you’ve expressed concerns about buying software, so I wanted to talk with you about it. Could you tell me what your major concerns will be?“
That does two things.
It identifies the objections so the administrator can prepare to address them.
And perhaps more important, it (sometimes!) softens the opposition, because the partner has been shown a measure of respect in being asked about the concerns.
Tricks of the presentation
Now for the presentation. For that, Witt gives lots of points.
Start with a no-brainer: make sure the date and time are convenient for everybody.
“Good ideas can be sabotaged by a bad schedule,” he says. He cites a presentation he once gave to a group of physicians. It was scheduled for late in the day after the doctors had sat through three highly technical presentations. Says Witt, “there was nothing I could have said at that time that they would have paid attention to.”
In general, mornings are better than afternoons, because people are not “exhausted and distracted” by the day’s events.
The structure of the presentation depends on whether there’s going to be opposition.
If none is expected, simply follow an outline of “here’s what I propose, here’s why, and here’s what we need to do next.“
If there’s going to be opposition, take a different route. To justify the request, identify the problem. Then tell what the solution is. Then tell how that solution can be achieved. Then address whatever concerns Partner Opposition has expressed. And then ask for support.
To sit or stand?
That depends on the size of the audience.
If there are fewer than five in attendance, sit. That makes the presentation more personal.
If more than five, stand. That ensures everybody can see, hear, and participate.
Formal or casual?
Witt suggests you keep the presentation personal and relational. Don’t think of it as a speech. Think of it as a structured conversation.
Powerpoint or not?
Not, Witt says. It minimizes the presenter’s presence and rarely provides much information.
If it’s used at all, use it sparingly—four or five slides at most.
Better is to give the written data in a handout so the partners can refer to it later.
Should there be a Q&A?
By all means. But tell the partners when it will be. For example: “I’m going to outline this for 10 minutes and then I’ll answer your questions.“
Tricks of persuasion
First define the problem “and make it hurt,” says Witt. Point out that the current software is delaying the billing and holding up the partners’ money.
Next, tell how the new software will solve that problem and what good things it will bring about: “Our goal has been to expand the practice, and this will help us do that.“
Both the pain and the goal have to be near and dear to the partners’ hearts, Witt says. Otherwise, they just won’t care.
He cautions, however, to stick to the benefits the firm will see, not how the software will make the administrator’s job easier. Those partners don’t care about the administrator’s job. What they care about is whether the software will fix their problems and achieve their goals.
If the software will help the administrator, phrase it as a benefit to them: “It will also give me time to focus on the long-range planning you want me to do.“
Tricks of the mind
What’s the cure for presentation nerves?
Basic rule #1: Go in thoroughly prepared. Know the entire subject. Going in with a blank spot will rattle the most seasoned presenter. Nervousness, Witt says, “is the body’s way of saying ‘You fool! Don’t do this to me again!'”
Basic rule #2: Change the inner thinking. Presenters can’t afford to waste their energy focusing on themselves and whether they sound good or look good or are stuttering or sweating. Focus solely on the needs and concerns of the audience.
Basic rule #3: Be convinced. Feeling strongly about the proposal makes the presenter feel strong about making the presentation.
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