To help you ace your next high-stakes meeting or presentation, we’ve gathered fifteen invaluable tips from CEOs and founders. From embracing thorough preparation to mastering your message, these leaders share their best advice for career advancement. Dive in to discover how to prepare effectively and deliver with confidence.
- Embrace Thorough Preparation
- Harness the Power of a Positive Mindset
- Engage in Physical Activity and Bullet Points
- Practice Under Challenging Conditions
- Over-Prepare and Expect the Unexpected
- Adopt Mind Mapping for Clarity
- Combine Confidence, Preparation, and Insight
- Connect with the Material
- Implement the 3Ps Method
- Balance Research and Preparation
- Speak from the Heart, Not a Script
- Be Honest About Your Feelings
- Confidence is Key
- Understand Your Audience and Practice Delivery
- Master Your Message
Embrace Thorough Preparation
I’ve been in a lot of high-stakes meetings and presentations, and the one thing that never fails me is preparation.
You can’t just wing it—you need to know your stuff, and you need to know your stuff inside and out. You need to know how you’re going to answer every potential question, even if it’s a question you don’t expect or want to hear. You need to know as much about your client as possible, and how their organization works, so that you can anticipate what they might be thinking when they hear your presentation.
And most importantly, you need to be confident! If you walk into a room knowing everything there is to know about your topic and feeling like you have all the answers, then people will believe that too.
Arvin Khamseh, CEO, Sold Out NFTs
Harness the Power of a Positive Mindset
As a career person myself, my best tip for preparing is to focus on your mindset. Yes, you need to do your research, practice your delivery, and have all your materials in order. But what really sets apart a stellar performance is having the right mindset.
Before the big day, take a few moments to visualize yourself succeeding in that meeting or presentation. Picture yourself confidently speaking, engaging your audience, and delivering your message flawlessly. Embrace positive affirmations and remind yourself of past successes.
Trust in yourself and let that confidence shine through. That kind of mindset will not only help calm your nerves but also make a lasting impact on your audience.
Johannes Larsson, Founder and CEO, JohannesLarsson.com
Engage in Physical Activity and Bullet Points
Run! There’s no problem so big that you can’t run from it. Running or engaging in some kind of physical activity will get the oxygen flowing in your body, making it easier to be cool, calm, and collected afterwards.
That aside, nothing beats being well-prepared. I usually jot down bullet points—one for every slide in a presentation or one for every subject the meeting should cover. Just one word that will help me remember what I want to say. Not a sentence, because that will shift my attention from the people in the room to my papers or screen, and it will also make my presentation more stiff. One word is perfect when you want to elaborate naturally.
Holger Sindbaek, Founder and CEO, Solitaire Online
Practice Under Challenging Conditions
When preparing for a big presentation, focus on two key strategies. First, practice under challenging conditions—whether it’s in a noisy environment, before a larger audience, or with fewer notes—so that the actual presentation will seem easier by comparison.
Second, aim for over-preparation. Familiarize yourself with more material than you’ll likely present and anticipate potential responses. Be ready to address any challenges or disagreements that may arise during the meeting. These two approaches will help you build confidence and enhance your ability to deliver a successful presentation.
Jason Vaught, Director of Content, SmashBrand
Over-Prepare and Expect the Unexpected
The top tip for high-pressure meetings is over-preparation. Leaving no room for avoidable surprises by meticulously planning each element, no matter how small.
Spending hours rehearsing not just the core content, but even introductions, transitions, and Q&A. Practicing out loud polishes the delivery until it flows naturally.
Visuals are honed through multiple drafts to convey key points precisely and compellingly. When the slides, speech, and flow sync up seamlessly, confidence follows.
Of course, expecting the unexpected in meetings is crucial! But comprehensive preparation arms to handle curveballs smoothly. With a firm foundation, the focus can be on engaging authentically once the lights are on.
Thorough planning takes time, but proves invaluable. Fortune truly favors the prepared mind in critical moments!
Ankit Prakash, Founder, Sprout24
Adopt Mind Mapping for Clarity
I’d recommend adopting the “mind mapping” technique as a visual journey of your thoughts. Starting with a central idea, it branches out into interconnected subtopics. This approach, much like the mindfulness practices I teach, brings clarity to your thoughts, allowing you to see the interconnectedness of ideas and ensuring no detail is missed.
When preparing for a presentation or meeting, this map becomes a tangible reflection of your thought process, ensuring a coherent flow. This, in turn, shows a sense of confidence, expertise, and preparation to your audience.
Bayu Prihandito, Psychology Expert, Life Coach, Founder, Life Architekture
Combine Confidence, Preparation, and Insight
My most valuable tip is rooted in three core principles. First, confidence is your strongest ally. Believe in yourself, your expertise, and the value you bring to the table. This self-assuredness will not only calm your nerves but also position you as a leader in the room.
Next, preparation is paramount. Know your material inside out. Familiarize yourself with potential questions, anticipate reactions, and be ready with well-structured responses. Being prepared will enhance your credibility and ensure your message lands effectively.
Last, doing your homework can make all the difference. Understand your audience. What are their interests, pain points, and expectations? Tailoring your content to address these specifics can make your presentation resonate more deeply.
In essence, when confidence meets preparation and insight, you’re well-equipped to conquer even the most high-stakes scenarios.
Rafael Sarim Özdemir, Founder and CEO, Zendog Labs
Connect with the Material
It’s easy to get caught up in the details of a presentation or meeting—trying to remember every statistic and practice every line—but it’s important to take a step back and breathe.
Make sure you have taken the time to connect with your material and allow yourself to really feel it. Be confident in yourself as an expert and show that you are enthusiastic about what you are presenting. Doing this will not only help you stay calm and focused in the moment, but it will also translate into a more effective presentation or meeting.
Scott Orn, Chief Operating Officer, Kruze Consulting
Implement the 3Ps Method
In high-stakes meetings, it’s imperative to strike the right balance between confidence and knowledge. My go-to strategy is what I call the “3Ps Method”: Prepare, Practice, and Pivot.
First, “Prepare” by researching every aspect of your audience and the subject matter. Knowing who you’re speaking to allows you to tailor your messaging for maximum impact. For example, before a big pitch to a potential client, we dissect their business model, competitors, and pain points to address their specific needs.
Next, “Practice” until your delivery is natural. I often do dry runs with team members acting as the client, asking challenging questions to simulate possible scenarios.
Finally, “Pivot” means being flexible during the meeting. Even after intense preparation, things can go off-script. The ability to adapt your message on the fly is invaluable.
Simon Brisk, Director, Click Intelligence Ltd
Balance Research and Preparation
In my experience, the best way to prepare for a high-stakes meeting is to do your research. I’ve had meetings where I didn’t do enough research, and others where I did more than was necessary.
When I did too much research, it made the meeting feel like an interview instead of a discussion about what we were there for. When I didn’t do enough, it meant that I wasn’t prepared for questions that came up during the meeting and didn’t have good answers for them.
So, figure out how much time you’re going to need to do your research ahead of time so you know how much time you’ll have left over for preparation.
Zoltan Fagyal, CEO, Not Just Laptops
Speak from the Heart, Not a Script
I’ve learned not to over-rehearse. I used to think that the more I practiced my speech or presentation, the better I’d come off—but this hasn’t proved true. The reality is, a memorized soliloquy rarely conveys what I want it to: after all, this isn’t the theater, and I’m no Meryl Streep!
What’s far better is knowing my subject matter inside and out and then speaking from the heart. The broad strokes of an outline are all I need since I genuinely care about the message I’m putting out.
So if you find yourself stammering, or worse, staring at your notes, consider that you may have over-rehearsed. Try a looser approach and see if that works.
Linn Atiyeh, CEO, Bemana
Be Honest About Your Feelings
I think my best tip for preparing for a high-stakes meeting is to be open and honest with yourself about how you’re feeling.
I’ve been in situations where I didn’t prepare as much as I could have, and it showed in the meeting. The more prepared you are, the more likely you are to perform well under pressure.
I’ve also noticed that if you’re honest with yourself about how you’re feeling—especially if it’s not positive—you can take steps to improve your mood before the meeting starts. That way, when the time comes, you’ll be able to focus on the task at hand instead of worrying about what happened last week or last month.
Gert Kulla, CEO, RedBat.Agency
Confidence is Key
High-stakes meetings can make you feel under-confident, and you can forget what you prepared. So, to get rid of this problem, practice, practice, practice, and speak with confidence. Even if you make mistakes, don’t let the audience know; keep sticking to the confidence and try to deliver the rest of the part of the speech with confidence.
I believe practice and confidence are the two crucial points that you should never forget or underestimate before and during a high-stakes meeting or presentation. Rehearse your presentation multiple times so that the words naturally come out of your mouth. You can practice in front of trustworthy friends and colleagues. They can provide you with constructive feedback.
Intense practice is followed by confidence. Once you start to speak and stop fumbling, build confidence and your style of speaking. It will make your presentation memorable for a long time in the heads of listeners.
Saikat Ghosh, Associate Director of HR and Business, Technource
Understand Your Audience and Practice Delivery
First, you should know and understand your audience to prepare your speech. Then, practice. Practicing your delivery is the best way to prepare for a high-stakes meeting or presentation. This includes things like your timing, your tone of voice, and your body language. The more you practice your delivery, the more natural it will feel and the more confident you will be.
To practice your delivery, start by recording yourself giving the presentation. Then, watch the recording and take note of any areas where you could improve. Once you have identified areas for improvement, practice giving the presentation again. This time, try to incorporate the changes you made based on your previous recording. Keep practicing until you feel comfortable with your delivery.
Luciano Colos, Founder and CEO, PitchGrade
Master Your Message
In my opinion, the secret to getting ready for a high-stakes meeting or presentation is to become a master of your message. Begin with a very clear goal: What do you want your audience to take away?
Craft a compelling narrative backed by data and examples. Rehearse not just your words, but your body language and tone. Anticipate questions and prepare thoughtful answers. Use visuals sparingly to enhance, not overwhelm. And most importantly, know your audience inside out. Tailor your message to their needs and concerns. Confidence in your message will help you shine in high-pressure situations.
Faizan Khan, Public Relations and Content Marketing Specialist, Ubuy UK
