British actor Martin Clunes
The man at the podium ruffles through his notes written in longhand on a yellow legal pad. Then he pauses and looks directly at the two key decision-makers in the room.
The man is Colin Sutton, a veteran London police officer asking for assistance to track down a burglar who has committed over 100 break-ins and has sexually assaulted many of his victims, most of whom are elderly women. Sutton describes the latest victims: an elderly woman in hospital, a war hero who has been robbed and molested and a woman who has died of her injuries.
Direct. Human. And very personal.
One of the decision-makers replies, “Colin, you are pushing on an open door.” Finally, finally, Sutton and his team will have the resources they are requesting. While Sutton was expected – and had fully intended — to deliver a full-blown presentation using video and PowerPoint, time did not permit such extras. (Note: This scene appears in season 2 of Manhunt, a British television dramatization of a real-life case that Sutton and his team cracked in 2009. The role of Sutton was played by Martin Clunes.)
Sutton’s chief instrument was his ability to speak from the heart. The officers in charge did not need a professional presentation; they needed a credible argument. And Sutton, who had a stellar reputation for his past crime-solving efforts, was able to deliver it.
Making Your Case
The lesson for managers is this: when the stakes are high, escalate your delivery method. Here are some suggestions.
Own the subject. Know what you are talking about. Use facts and figures to augment your case, but not overwhelm it. Spoon feed facts and surround them with stories that resonate with the audience.
Tell stories. Add life to your presentation by imbuing it with the stories of people who are involved, either as those affected by a lack of something or those who will benefit when the service is added. It is also good to give a shout-out to the people on the ground who are doing the heavy lifting.
Ensure credibility. Provide proof of delivery that is the ability to do what you say you will do. Address how you will solve the issue or lessen the pain. Speaking knowledgeably gives your presentation a sense of authenticity. Play up the experience of your team.
Radiate confidence. Show humility in the face of adversity, but make certain you project authority. Act as if you have been in this position before. Keep cool when being questioned.
Changing minds
Presentations from the heart are intended to change minds. Sometimes it is to procure resources, as it was in Sutton’s case. Other times it is to create awareness of the need for action to solve a problem. Changing minds is never easy, and for that reason, it calls to the presenter to use the tools at hand—chiefly his mind and his voice—to open a metaphorical window into what it will take to do things differently.
Speaking from the heart to engage emotions is a powerful tool, but it must be used with care and caution. Make sure that what you argue is rooted, has a sense of urgency, and can be delivered. Without such a foundation, your argument may evoke emotions but not provoke action.
