How to Communicate Upward to Senior Management

I once asked my youngest daughter what she thought I did for work, and she said, "You sit on Zoom and give people your opinion all day." While there's more to my day than that, she's not entirely wrong! As you climb the career ladder, your schedule fills with presentations—some inspiring, others not so much. Here’s how to make sure yours stands out when presenting to senior leaders: 1. Be Specific, Not Overly Detailed: You've probably heard, "Keep it high-level for executives; avoid the weeds." True, but don't swing too far into the abstract. Ground your points with concrete facts and data. For instance, instead of saying, "Some code deployments aren't automated and there are opportunities for improvement," try, "Our analysis shows 25% of code deployments require manual effort, particularly in post-change validations and service restarts." 2. Harness the Power of Storytelling: Transform your presentation into a captivating narrative. Stories make data relatable and memorable. Start with a real-world example, like a customer struggling with your current system, highlight the problem and then move on to your solution. 3. Start with the 'Why': Dive into the heart of your proposal by explaining its significance. Why should your audience care? How does it align with their goals? For example, "By automating these processes, we not only boost efficiency but also advance our strategic goal of enhancing customer satisfaction." 4. Foster a Dialogue, Not a Monologue: Remember, communication is a two-way street. Anticipate your audience's reactions and be ready to engage. Hit your key points swiftly, avoid over-explaining, and focus on insights that empower decision-making. After presenting, ask questions to invite discussion. These strategies can help you tie together facts, emotions, and strategic insights, making your message not just heard, but remembered and acted upon. #presentationtips #careertips #careeradvice

What I learnt communicating with Senior Leaders in Big Tech As I grew more senior at Amazon, I have been coached by leaders on my communication style: too verbose, lacking precision and taking tangents. I want to share a few items that I keep in mind when addressing leaders in emails/ presentation. 1. Less is more: Be precise (but be balanced). At first, I remember answering questions with lots of details/ data. Select the top 3 data points that support your point. Most VPs and leaders don’t care about peculiarities, unless they explicitly probe you. I have seen regularly VPs diving into Appendices so mind what you put in there. Make sure you can answer questions simply. If unsure, say you will follow-up separately instead of trying to BS. 2. Spend Time on the Structure: Irrespective of your role, the storyline needs to flow. I joined Amazon after Investment Banking, where PowerPoint is the main communication tool and spent hours on formatting. At Amazon, PowerPoints are forbidden internally privileging documents (to focus on content, not design). I lay out the structure and bullet points before writing and request feedback early on. 3. Do Your Homework: There are questions you can anticipate prior to a meeting (either by getting to know your leadership style or by understanding your stakeholders’ interest). Who will be in the meeting and what is top of mind (KPIs/ vision)? You should put yourself in the shoes of your leaders and list potential questions that are not addressed in your presentation. Any additional communication tip?

A 21-year-old asked for my best career advice. My answer: learn to manage up. Most people suck at managing up. They say too much or too little. 8 ways to manage up like a pro: 1️⃣ Set the stage. Executives are busy. Start every email or meeting with 60 seconds of context: ↳ "What are we talking about?" ↳ "Why is this important?" ↳ "Where did we leave off?" 2️⃣ Value their time 10x more than yours. This will make you disciplined about: ↳ Follow-ups ↳ Action items ↳ Clear, concise communication 3️⃣ Use FYI and NNTR. Not every message needs a response or action. ↳ Example: "FYI, the dashboard is updated as you requested. No need to reply." 4️⃣ Understand the hierarchy of communication. Some modes are better for urgency: ↳ Most Urgent: Phone ↳ Less Urgent: Text, Slack ↳ Async: Email (with "Request" in subject and a clear deadline) 5️⃣ You still own the monkey. If you ask your boss for something, it’s still your job to ensure it’s done. Escalate as needed until it’s complete. 6️⃣ Always follow up. After meetings, send a quick summary with action items. ↳ Specify: WHO will do WHAT by WHEN. 7️⃣ Regular reporting. Create a system for progress updates. Make them: ↳ Regular ↳ Quantitative ↳ Data-driven 8️⃣ Seek feedback. Ask: "Do my updates make it easy for you to see progress? What can I do to make it a 10/10?" With these principles, you'll become invaluable to any leader. ♻️ If you found this useful, follow me, Jesse Pujji, and share this to help others learn how to manage up effectively!

How to Brief Senior Leaders Effectively: Lessons from a U.S. Diplomat In my over 16 years working in the field of diplomacy, I’ve developed and refined the art of delivering concise, actionable briefings to senior leaders, from ambassadors and cabinet members to decision-makers in high-pressure environments. Serving as a member of the leadership team and Acting Deputy Ambassador in my most recent assignments, I’ve led efforts on public affairs reporting, managing Embassy resources, risk assessment, and strategic communications. Here are three principles I’ve found essential for success: 1. Tailor the Message: Understand the leader’s priorities and decision-making style. Every briefing must align with their needs, goals, and the context in which they operate. 2. Clarity is Key: In high-stakes settings, time is limited. The ability to distill complex issues into clear, actionable points is critical. 3. Prepare for the Tough Questions: Senior leaders rely on experts who can anticipate risks, offer solutions, and provide insights that go beyond the surface. Throughout my career, I’ve briefed on critical global issues, including counter-disinformation strategies, human trafficking interventions, migration, and economic empowerment programs. Whether engaging with local stakeholders or presenting to top officials, my approach has always been rooted in precision, adaptability, and results-driven insights. These experiences have equipped me with the ability to provide clarity amidst complexity, a skill that translates seamlessly to senior roles in public affairs, risk management, and strategic communications.