Here's how you can impress senior stakeholders with confidence.

Senior stakeholders have an overview of the market & company’s goals. Pointers that has helped me in leaving a lasting impression on the senior management are - 1. Communicating market insights & competition mapping regularly to the senior stakeholders which are critical in nature that can affect company’s long term goal positively or negatively. 2. Knowing external stakeholders (customers especially) inside out is a key metric which senior stakeholders appreciate. It only proves that you’ve a solid working relationship with your customers. 3. While addressing an issue try weaving a story which has solution that benefits different department. Basically have a holistic approach which shows your strong intent and passion for growth mindset.

I don't think one needs to put in any extra effort to "impress", you just need to do your job well with honesty and authenticity. The effort has to be towards building trust with your stakeholders and that happens with consistent, transparent and data driven communication. Always deliver on your promises, provide regular updates, value stakeholder feedback and address any concerns promptly and honestly.

I suggest, don't try to impress! Doing your work with dedication and commitment with complete ownership will impress seniors anyway. Apart from the above, focus on 4 key things: clarity, competence, feedback, and collaboration. - Be clear in your communication, ensuring your points are concise and relevant. - Demonstrate your competence by thoroughly understanding your role and responsibilities, and be prepared to discuss your work confidently. - Show a willingness to collaborate and contribute to the overall goals of the organization. - Lastly, take feedback regularly. Engage in discussions thoughtfully, listen actively, note down feedback and take actions to change.

When engaging senior stakeholders, prioritize value generation over impressing. Efficient time management is crucial in this case; for example, plan for 20 minutes of focused discussion in a 30-minute meeting. Structure content into three stages: Stage 1 generates excitement by defining the problem and opportunities. Stage 2 fosters meaningful discussion, and Stage 3 concludes with actionable insights. This approach has worked well for me in a variety of contexts, fostering valuable discussions with senior stakeholders, even beyond work settings, based on shared interests.

Impressing senior stakeholders with confidence involves a combination of preparation, understanding their interests, and effective communication. Understand Stakeholder Priorities. Showcase Progress and Impact: Senior colleagues appreciate seeing evidence of progress, especially in areas that align with their interests, such as DEI-focused patient outcomes or innovative business models. Communicate Effectively: Be concise, focus on the key messages, and use data to support your points. Build Trust: Trust is earned over time through reliable and effective work. Engage in Meaningful Conversations Every interaction with senior stakeholders is an opportunity to demonstrate your value and build a stronger relationship.

100% successful outcomes will be driven by a leaders ability to communicate with conviction. Step off the stage, give people eye contact, ask clarification questions to check understanding. Talk through real world scenarios and actions needed and back yourself with confidence. I've learned these skills from early in my career and does take time but always take every opportunity you can to do it. From conducting a tool box talk through to presenting to a big crowd there is no difference. And first at foremost take a deep breath, look around the room or workplace and make contact with people. Lastly be available after to talk and continue to build those relationships - success will follow!

I always use PPP Model to impress senior stakeholders. (Prepare, Practice and Present) with confidence. Always get prepared for talk track, timing and business angle surprise questions (Basic to Advanced). I have learnt from my manager to do rehearsal of talk track of meetings by recording and hearing the audio to check for timing and message landing issues well in advance. Avoid communicating the things if you are not fully aware of what's happening. This will ensure, I talk with confidence.

Clear and concise communication is key. Present information in a straightforward manner, avoiding jargon and focusing on key points. Use visual aids like charts and graphs to enhance understanding. Regular updates that are brief but informative help keep stakeholders engaged and confident in your management.

In written and verbal communication always include numbers to support your statements, slides/mails without numbers are not relevant for senior stakeholders. Also, include market intel.

Consistently demonstrate the impact of your work by showcasing tangible results. Use metrics and data to illustrate progress and success. Highlighting successful outcomes not only proves your effectiveness but also builds trust and credibility with senior stakeholders.

Take initiative in identifying potential challenges and opportunities before they arise. Present well-thought-out solutions and strategies to address these issues. Proactive behavior shows that you are forward-thinking and capable of managing projects efficiently, which reassures stakeholders of your competency.

Proactively looking for opportunities that have not been explored earlier is a good start to making above and beyond impacts. However, please be aware of the fact that it comes with its own share of risks and there are eyes on you!

I can't emphasize enough on the importance of relationships and comfort based on common vibes. Many times, I've worked on projects without a formal education background or work experience as my first step only and only due to the comfort that I've created with the decision-makers. It's important to be a good human before being a skilled professional. Skills can be learnt but vibes are natural.

Invest time in building strong, trusting relationships with senior stakeholders. Understand their communication styles and preferences. Regularly engage with them through formal and informal interactions to foster a collaborative and supportive environment.

Two low-entry ways to impress senior stakeholders: Tapping into life experience in addition to work experience can help demonstrate who you are - be a person of depth in knowing how to have a life and practising this know-how. Nothing bores people faster than spending time with a person with no hobbies, interests, etc. Make an indispensable presence while proving a valuable existence. Be wise to shed light on others. The courage to be the projector spells out confidence louder than the spotlight. Contributions come in many different forms and shapes. Find the type that brings you out of shadow by brightening others.

Selbstvertrauen klingt so gut, so einfach und bestechend. Klar, drehen Sie es mal um. Wer will schon selbstmisstrauend Gefolgschaft aufbauen, die einem eben auch vertraut. Darum geht’s nämlich bei Führung, dass geführte soviel VERtrauen in jemanden haben wie er sich selbst vertraut. Doch wie geht das? Ich bin überzeugt, man muss eine permanente Reise ins selbst machen und aufklären wer man eigentlich ist, was einen ausmacht, die Stärken und Schwächen aus- und abbauen und so zu sich finden. Dann kann man auf sich vertrauen, Feedback einholen ob man so ist, wie man sich sieht und sich auf BEKANNTEN und BESTÄTIGTEN Eigenschaften was trauen. Controller würden das Risikominimierung nennen, ich nenne es einen gesunden Weg durchs Leben!

Using confidence can be a smart strategy to impress senior stakeholders. When you exude confidence, you show them you believe in yourself and your ideas, which can make them trust you more. It's like "leading from the front," where you take charge boldly. Also, "walking the talk" matters; if you confidently discuss plans and then follow through with actions, it shows reliability. So, confidence isn't just about talking—it's about showing leadership through belief in yourself and your plans.

This is also how you can demonstrate that you are not a "yes-person". Having confidence in in your knowledge and expertise can help you (carefully) challenge the assumptions of senior leaders whilst demonstrating that you care and are committed to their goals to bring new ideas and perspectives grounded in expertise.

Confidence comes with self belief. Self belief comes with a combination of education and experience. Every journey has something to learn from and gain confidence within. Authenticity is visible. Everyone need not know everything, every time. It's vital to say I don't know when you don't but it's also better to find out and revert back later. Sometimes keeping quiet and waiting for the right time to communicate exudes more confidence than speaking out of context. Body language and communication skills play a vital role in exuding confidence.

Talk Their Language Don't bamboozle business managers with tech talk. Talk about improving commercial performance or opportunities, improving cyber security to boost customer confidence, improving customer interactions with better business flows. Don't just tell them what you're doing, tell them how customers, and so the business will benefit.

Courage to speak the unpleasant is an underrated attitude when it comes to impressing stakeholders. In many cultures, people want to look good and impress their leaders, come what may. I have seen leaders worth their salt value dissent and conviction as long as it is backed up with sound logic. Do not sweep the bad news under the carpet. Do not shrug off a strong opinion you hold, just to please the boss. Instead be upfront. Own the bad news. And give the reasoning behind your strong opinion when you voice it. These two things go a long way!