Advanced Presentation Skills: What Senior Leaders Do Differently

Last updated: December 30, 2025 · 10 minute read

Most presentation advice teaches you how to be competent. This article teaches you how to be exceptional.

After 24 years in corporate environments — at JPMorgan Chase, PwC, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Commerzbank — I’ve watched hundreds of senior leaders present. Managing Directors. C-suite executives. Board members.

What I noticed: the techniques that make someone a “good” presenter are completely different from the advanced presentation skills that make someone commanding, memorable, and persuasive at the senior level.

The basics matter. But if you’ve mastered the basics and want to present like a senior leader, you need to develop these advanced presentation skills. At Winning Presentations, these are the techniques I teach to executives who want to move from competent to compelling.

The Gap Between Basic and Advanced Presentation Skills

Basic presentation skills get you through. Advanced presentation skills get you promoted.

Here’s what I mean:

Basic skills: Clear slides. Steady voice. Eye contact. Logical structure. Not reading from notes. Finishing on time.

These are table stakes. They’re necessary but not sufficient. Every competent professional eventually develops these.

Advanced presentation skills: Commanding attention without demanding it. Making complex ideas feel simple. Reading and adapting to room dynamics. Creating moments that people remember days later. Influencing decisions through presence, not just content.

Harvard Business Review research shows that executive presence — the way senior leaders carry themselves — accounts for a significant portion of leadership advancement. Presentation skills are the most visible expression of that presence.

For the foundational techniques, see my guide on professional presentation skills. What follows are the advanced techniques that build on that foundation.

7 Advanced Presentation Skills Senior Leaders Use

These are the patterns I’ve observed in the most effective senior presenters — and the techniques I now teach to executives at Winning Presentations.

1. They Speak in Headlines First

Average presenters build up to their conclusion. Senior leaders start with it.

Average approach: “We analysed the market, reviewed three options, considered the risks, and concluded that…”

Senior leader approach: “We should acquire Company X. Here’s why.”

This isn’t just more efficient — it’s a completely different communication philosophy. Senior leaders assume their audience is intelligent and time-pressed. They give the conclusion first, then provide supporting evidence for those who need it.

I call this “newspaper structure” — headline first, details second. Practice leading with your recommendation or key message, then backing it up.

For a complete framework on structuring executive-level presentations, see my guide on creating executive presentations.

2. They Use Strategic Silence

Most presenters fill every moment with words. Senior leaders use silence as a tool.

Strategic silence works in three ways:

• Before key points: A 2-3 second pause signals “what comes next is important” — audiences lean in
• After questions: Pausing before answering shows you’re thinking, not reacting — it signals confidence
• After your conclusion: Ending with silence rather than filler (“so, yeah…”) makes your ending land

Watch any effective CEO speak. They’re comfortable with silence in ways that junior presenters aren’t. This is a learnable advanced presentation skill.

At PwC, I noticed that partners who commanded the most respect in client meetings were also the ones who spoke least — but when they spoke, everyone listened. The silence between their statements created weight.

3. They Make One Point, Not Many

Average presenters try to be comprehensive. Senior leaders try to be memorable.

If you make ten points, your audience remembers zero. If you make one point with three supporting arguments, your audience remembers one.

The discipline: Before any presentation, ask yourself: “What is the ONE thing I need this audience to remember?” Then structure everything around that single point.

This is harder than it sounds. It requires killing your darlings — cutting good content that doesn’t serve your core message. But it’s what separates forgettable presentations from influential ones.

4. They Read the Room and Adapt

Average presenters deliver their prepared content regardless of audience response. Senior leaders treat presentations as dynamic conversations.

What they’re watching for:

• Body language shifts (leaning in = interest, arms crossed = resistance, checking phones = lost attention)
• The senior person’s reaction (often the decision-maker)
• Confusion or skepticism on faces
• Moments of strong agreement (to emphasise) or disagreement (to address)

How they adapt:

• If attention is waning: “Let me cut to what matters most for this decision…”
• If someone looks skeptical: “I can see some concern — let me address that directly…”
• If running long and losing the room: “I’ll move to the recommendation and we can discuss details as needed…”

This advanced presentation skill requires preparation — you need to know your content well enough to restructure it on the fly.

5. They Own the Physical Space

Senior leaders don’t just stand in a room — they own it.

What this looks like:

• Stillness when speaking: No swaying, fidgeting, or pacing. Movement is intentional.
• Expansive posture: Taking up space rather than shrinking into it
• Deliberate movement: Walking to a different position to signal a transition, then planting again
• Eye contact that lingers: Completing a thought while looking at one person, not darting around

At Royal Bank of Scotland, I watched executives command rooms of 50+ people simply through how they positioned themselves. They arrived early, stood where they intended to present, and “claimed” the space before anyone else arrived.

For more on developing this kind of presence, see my guide on how to speak confidently in public.

6. They Tell Stories With Purpose

Everyone knows stories are powerful. Senior leaders use them strategically, not decoratively.

The difference:

• Decorative story: A relevant anecdote that entertains
• Strategic story: A specific narrative that makes your key point unforgettable and emotionally resonant

The senior leader approach:

1. Identify the ONE point you need to land
2. Find a story that embodies that point (ideally from your own experience)
3. Tell it briefly — 60-90 seconds maximum
4. Connect it explicitly to your business message

I once watched a Managing Director turn a room’s opinion on a £10 million investment with a two-minute story about a similar decision made five years earlier. The data hadn’t changed. The story changed how they felt about the data.

7. They Project Certainty (Even When They’re Not)

Senior leaders rarely sound uncertain, even when discussing uncertain topics.

This isn’t about being arrogant or closed-minded. It’s about how you frame uncertainty.

Average presenter: “I’m not sure, but maybe we should consider…”

Senior leader: “Based on current evidence, my recommendation is X. There are risks, which I’ll address.”

Both might have the same level of internal confidence. The difference is in the framing. Senior leaders:

• State positions clearly, then acknowledge limitations
• Use “I recommend” rather than “I think maybe”
• Address uncertainty as risk to be managed, not as lack of conviction

This advanced presentation skill requires practice — it’s a language pattern, not just a mindset.

How to Develop Advanced Presentation Skills

These skills don’t develop from reading about them. They develop from deliberate practice with feedback.

Step 1: Record Yourself

Video yourself presenting. Watch it with the sound off first — you’ll see habits you never knew you had. Then watch with sound. Most people do this once, cringe, and never do it again. Senior leaders do it repeatedly.

Step 2: Focus on One Advanced Presentation Skill at a Time

Don’t try to develop all seven skills simultaneously. Pick the one that would make the biggest difference for you:

• If you’re too detailed → Practice “headline first”
• If you’re too rushed → Practice strategic silence
• If people forget your points → Practice the “one point” discipline
• If you feel rigid → Practice reading the room
• If you feel nervous → Practice owning the space

Work on one skill for 4-6 weeks before adding another.

Step 3: Get Feedback From Senior People

Peers can tell you if you were clear. Senior leaders can tell you if you were compelling. Seek feedback specifically from people above your level who present well.

For more on the CEO-level techniques, see my guide on how to present like a CEO.

The Real Difference Advanced Presentation Skills Make

Early in my banking career, I was technically competent but forgettable. I delivered information clearly. I finished on time. I answered questions adequately.

But I wasn’t advancing.

What changed wasn’t my content — it was how I delivered it. I learned to lead with conclusions, use silence, make single points land, and command physical space. Within two years, I was presenting to boards.

Advanced presentation skills aren’t about being flashy or charismatic. They’re about being strategic with every element of your communication — words, pauses, movement, and presence.

My clients have collectively raised over £250 million using these techniques. Not because they’re naturally gifted — but because they developed these advanced presentation skills deliberately.

For the executive summary techniques specifically, see my guide on how to write an executive summary slide.

Your Next Step

Pick one advanced presentation skill from this list. Practice it in your next three presentations. Notice what changes.

That’s how senior leaders got to where they are — one deliberate improvement at a time.

FAQs About Advanced Presentation Skills

What’s the difference between basic and advanced presentation skills?

Basic presentation skills are about competence: clear slides, steady voice, logical structure, finishing on time. Advanced presentation skills are about influence: commanding attention, making ideas memorable, reading and adapting to room dynamics, and creating moments that drive decisions. Basic skills get you through. Advanced skills get you promoted.

How long does it take to develop advanced presentation skills?

Expect 6-12 months of deliberate practice to see significant advancement. The key is focusing on one skill at a time for 4-6 weeks, getting feedback, and presenting regularly. Most people try to improve everything at once and improve nothing. Senior leaders who present well have usually been refining these skills for years.

Can you develop advanced presentation skills without natural charisma?

Absolutely. Most senior leaders I’ve trained weren’t naturally charismatic — they were deliberate. The techniques in this guide are learnable skills, not personality traits. Strategic silence, headline-first structure, and physical presence are all patterns you can practice and develop regardless of your natural style.

What’s the most important advanced presentation skill to develop first?

Start with “headline first” — leading with your conclusion rather than building up to it. This single change shifts how audiences perceive you from “informer” to “leader.” It’s also the fastest to implement. You can start using it in your very next presentation.

How do senior leaders handle nerves differently?

Senior leaders still feel nervous — they’ve just learned to channel it differently. They use pre-presentation rituals, reframe anxiety as excitement, and focus on serving the audience rather than performing for them. The visible difference is that their nervous energy goes into preparation, not into visible fidgeting or rushed delivery.

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Mary Beth Hazeldine is the Owner & Managing Director of Winning Presentations and a Microsoft Copilot PowerPoint specialist. A qualified clinical hypnotherapist, she has trained over 300 executives on advanced presentation skills, drawing on 24 years of corporate experience at JPMorgan Chase, PwC, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Commerzbank. Her clients have collectively raised over £250 million using her presentation techniques.