CONVERSATIONS BUILD CONSENSUS A presentation can be an amazing tool, The verbal back-and-forth of challenging  SLIDE 14: SIR RICHARD BRANSON INTERVIEW but only when it’s used correctly. and defending, resisting and accepting,  SLIDE 22: SHERYL SANDBERG INTERVIEW Presentations are most effective when and creating and destructing, refines the  SLIDE 27: JEFF WEINER INTERVIEW you need to persuade a group of people to idea while helping you build credibility by change their behavior. Presentations are showing your command of the content. often a one-way street: information flows from the presenter to the audience. As a result, informed conversations can help you build consensus and erode But what happens when you need to bring resistance to an idea. These benefits are a group to consensus or make a decision the reasons why several notable based on some shared information? executives, including Sir Richard Branson, Formal presentations don’t allow for Sheryl Sandberg, and Jeff Weiner, have enough back-and-forth to accomplish called for an increased emphasis on these goals. conversations. Instead, consensus-building and decision- Instead of presenting, we’ve found that making events are perfect opportunities everyone can get up to speed quickly if for informed conversations, meaning you give them information beforehand, or conversations in which all the participants allow 10 minutes at the beginning of the have access to a common meeting for people to read a slidedoc. set of information. Then, each person is fully informed for the discussion. Plus, they can refer to the Conversations give participants the ability materials as they discuss the issues. to build on your ideas instead of simply receiving them. © Duarte, Inc. 2014 13