Building Your Business Case Quiz #3

According to the author, another big hurdle for inexperienced speakers is?

nervousness, both in advance and while on stage

Senior managers need a handle ______ and how ______

on transition costs; how long it will take to fully realize benefits

According to Nancy Duarte, great presenters layer ______ and understand that ______

story and information like a cake; different types of talks require different ingredients

Limit the scope of your talk to ________ and brought to _______, in the ________

that which can be explained and brought to life with examples, in the available time.

Presentations rise or fall on

the quality of the idea the narrative the passion of the speaker

If your company is using a tollgate process for project approval, you should ask ________

the review committee what risks or questions need to be resolved by the time you reach the first milestone.

The most engaging speakers _______, explaining ________, and ________

very quickly introduce the topic, explaining why they care so deeply about it, and convincing the audience members they should, too.

Used well, _________, but there are _________

video can be very effective; common mistakes

Too many managers assume that the ______ or are ________

Benefits of their proposed projects speak for themselves (or are) implicit in a strong ROI.

If told your project is not viable, what three questions should you address?

Do you need more data to show why the approach works? Can you create a prototype that will assuage their worries? Ask for a small amount of funding to run a quick pilot to prove the project can succeed.

Whatever response you get, __________

Don't argue with the logic or take it personally.

When you commit to doing just part of the project, "First, _________; Second, ________"

Don't do an across-the-board cut Don't agree to a cut in resources without a cut in the benefits

While you are waiting, it's not a bad idea to _______

Find a simple, easy way to collect more information about the problem and its magnitude.

Just as Richard needed to frame his story, you will need to find the _______ and develop the _______

Find the right place to begin; develop a succinct and logical arc of events

According to the author, the biggest mistake regarding stage presence is?

People move their bodies too much

(If you have been told no), always ask _________

Why?

To avoid the jargon problem, ask _______, noting any _______

colleagues in other functions to review drafts; noting any opaque terms

Involve a _______ when developing ________

cross-functional team; case

Make sure the high-level implementation plan outlined in your case is still _________

Actionable

Often the feedback from _________

different people will vary or conflict

We all know that _______, and metaphors abound ________

humans are wired to listen to stories; for the narrative structures that work best to engage people

Information is ________, and hearing and seeing __________

interesting only once; the same words feels repetitive

If you frame the talk as a _______, the biggest decisions are ________

journey; figuring out where to start and end

A successful talk is a _______ - people _______

little miracle; see the world differently afterwards

According to the author, how many common mistakes are there?

5

According to the author, what are the five steps to making a TED talk?

Frame your story Plan your delivery Develop stage presence Plan the multimedia Putting it together

Conceptualizing and ________ is the most _______

Framing what you want to say; most vital part of preparation

If there isn't a formal project management process at your company, start by _________

Gathering your team and working on a project charter.

What is the question senior leaders really want to know?

How will it support the company's strategy?

This often happens in _______

IT initiatives

You should show photographs or illustrations __________

If they make the topic come alive

The easiest way to poke holes _______

Is to ask "what if?"

If you are told the project doesn't align with company strategy, you should _________

Let it die

According to the author, the most important physical act on stage is?

Making eye contact

According to Nancy Duarte, most presentations lie somewhere

On the continuum between a report and a story

You'll be prepared for this conversation if you ________

Ran several scenarios in your spreadsheet.

According to the author, what are the three main ways to deliver a talk?

Read it directly off a script or teleprompter. Develop a set of bullet points that map out what you're going to say in each section. Memorize your talk.

According to Nancy Duarte, what are the five types of talks?

Research Findings Financial Presentation Product Launch VC Pitch Keynote Address

Don't pick a fight or try to use the response to change the outcome, _________

Seek to understand their reasoning.

After the celebration, _______

Set up your project management process.

What should you do if the decision makers come back with a question like "What can you do with half the money you requested?"

Tell the reviewers you'll get back to them—very quickly—so you have time to redo the business case with new constraints.

What is different about giving a TED talk vs. a handful of stakeholders?

The audience

According to the author, what are three reasons your project decision was "We Can't Make a Decision Yet?"

The case hasn't made the first cut. The decision makers just haven't decided yet. The strategy is on hold.

According to the author, two reasons are given for why the decision makers just haven't decided yet?

They are unwilling or unable to make decisions on the spot. They're waiting for the outcome of another decision that has further-reaching impact.

Executives want to see that you've ______

Thought through contingencies from the beginning.

Ideas rarely ________ - yet the people pitching ______

Touch just one department Often fail to consider how they'll affect others in the organization.

If the strategy your project supports is on hold, you should _________

Use your internal network to stay abreast of where the strategy is going.

When you're creating your case, show that ________

You're meeting a clear business need that aligns with their goals.

(Regardless of the outcome of your presentation), remember that, you've done your job:

You've helped the company make a wise decision.

If your case hasn't made the first cut, then there is no need to lobby for your case if ________

Your project champion is representing you to the decision makers.