The Presentation Habit That’s Quietly Killing Your Career
She got the promotion. He had the better slides.
I watched this play out at JPMorgan Chase more times than I can count. The analyst with the comprehensive 40-slide deck passed over. The one with 12 slides and a clear recommendation? Fast-tracked to VP.
The difference wasn’t talent. It wasn’t data quality. It wasn’t even presentation confidence.
It was a single presentation career mistake that most professionals don’t even know they’re making — one that quietly signals to leadership: “This person isn’t ready.”
Quick Answer: The presentation habit killing most careers is building slides bottom-up (data → analysis → conclusion) instead of top-down (recommendation → supporting evidence → details if needed). Bottom-up signals you haven’t done the executive thinking. Top-down signals you’re ready for leadership.
📅 Presenting This Week? Use This 6-Slide Structure:
- Slide 1: Your recommendation + the ask
- Slide 2: Stakes — why this matters now
- Slides 3–5: Three proof points (one per slide)
- Slide 6: Decision needed + next steps
- Appendix: All supporting detail (only if asked)
This structure works for board updates, steering committees, budget requests, and any decision-seeking presentation.
Want the complete structure with copy/paste templates?
In This Article:
The Invisible Mistake Nobody Tells You About
In my 24 years in corporate banking — at JPMorgan Chase, PwC, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Commerzbank — I sat through thousands of presentations. And I noticed something that changed how I coach executives today.
The people who got promoted didn’t have better data. They didn’t have fancier slides. They didn’t even have more confidence.
They structured their presentations differently.
Specifically: they led with their recommendation. Not their process. Not their analysis. Not their methodology. Their conclusion — slide one.
Meanwhile, talented professionals with years of expertise were building decks the “logical” way: background, then analysis, then findings, then finally — on slide 37 — what they actually recommended.
And leadership tuned out long before they got there.
This is the presentation habit that’s quietly killing careers. It’s invisible because everyone does it. It feels right because it mirrors how we think. And nobody tells you it’s wrong because they’re doing it too.
Why This Happens (And Why It’s Not Your Fault)
You were trained to present bottom-up.
School taught you to show your work. University rewarded methodological rigour. Your first job praised thorough analysis.
So you build presentations the same way you build reports:
- Start with context
- Walk through the data
- Explain your analysis
- Finally, share your conclusion
This is bottom-up thinking. And it’s career poison in executive settings.
Here’s why: executives don’t have time to follow your journey. They need your destination — then they’ll decide if they want the map.
When you present bottom-up, you’re asking leadership to hold 15 minutes of context in their heads before they understand why it matters. Most won’t. They’ll check email, interrupt with questions, or mentally check out.
Then they’ll remember you as “the one who couldn’t get to the point.”
What presentation mistakes hurt your career?
The most damaging presentation mistake is structural, not cosmetic. Building presentations bottom-up (data first, conclusion last) signals to leadership that you haven’t done the executive thinking. It suggests you’re presenting your process rather than your judgement — which is exactly what leaders are evaluating when considering promotions.
What Executives Actually See When You Present
When you present bottom-up, executives don’t see thorough analysis.
They see someone who:
- Can’t prioritise. If everything gets equal airtime, nothing is important.
- Hasn’t formed a judgement. Walking through data without a clear recommendation suggests you want them to decide for you.
- Doesn’t understand their time. Executives operate in 15-minute windows. Burying your point on slide 30 signals you don’t get that.
- Isn’t ready for leadership. Leaders make recommendations. Analysts present data.
This is brutal, but it’s real.
I’ve sat in rooms where promotion decisions were made, and I’ve heard the exact words: “Great analyst, but not strategic enough yet.” What that often means: “Their presentations don’t lead with insight.”
Why do some presenters never get promoted?
Many talented professionals plateau because their presentation structure signals “analyst” rather than “leader.” They present their thinking process (how they got to the answer) instead of their strategic judgement (what should happen and why). This structural choice — often unconscious — shapes how leadership perceives their readiness for senior roles.
The Shift That Changes Everything
Top-down presentation structure is the opposite of how most people present — and exactly how executives think.
Bottom-up (what most people do):
- Background and context
- Methodology and approach
- Data and analysis
- Findings and insights
- Recommendation (finally)
Top-down (what gets you promoted):
- Recommendation and ask
- Key supporting points (3 maximum)
- Evidence for each point
- Appendix for details (if asked)
The shift feels uncomfortable at first. You’ll worry you’re not being thorough. You’ll feel exposed leading with your conclusion before you’ve “earned” it.
That discomfort? It’s the feeling of presenting like a leader.
If you’re finding that speaking confidently in meetings is also a challenge, the structure shift actually helps — when you know exactly what you’re arguing for, confidence follows.
⭐ Stop Signalling “Not Ready” — Start Presenting Like a Leader
The Executive Slide System gives you the exact structure that signals strategic thinking — built from 24 years in corporate banking and 15+ years coaching executives.
Includes:
- Top-down slide structure template
- Executive summary framework
- Before/after transformation examples
- Decision-slide formula
Get the Executive Slide System → £39
Built for board updates, steering committees, and CFO decision meetings.
How to Fix This (Starting With Your Next Deck)
You don’t need to overhaul everything. You need to change your starting point.
Step 1: Write your recommendation before you open PowerPoint
One sentence. What do you want them to decide, approve, or do? If you can’t articulate this clearly, you’re not ready to build the deck.
Step 2: Identify your 3 supporting points
Not 7. Not 12. Three. If you have more, you haven’t prioritised. Executives remember threes.
Step 3: Build the deck backwards
Start with your recommendation slide. Then your three supporting points. Then evidence for each. Everything else goes in the appendix — where it belongs.
Step 4: Apply the “slide 1 test”
If an executive only saw your first slide and nothing else, would they understand what you’re asking for and why? If not, restructure.
This approach mirrors the Pyramid Principle that consulting firms like McKinsey have used for decades. It’s not new — but it’s rarely taught outside elite environments.
Want the exact templates to make this shift immediate?
How do executives structure presentations differently?
Executives use top-down structure: recommendation first, supporting points second, evidence third, details in appendix. This approach respects the audience’s time, demonstrates strategic judgement, and signals leadership readiness. It’s the opposite of the bottom-up academic approach most professionals default to.
⭐ Your Next Presentation Could Change How Leadership Sees You
One presentation with the right structure can shift perception faster than a year of good work. The Executive Slide System shows you exactly how.
What you’ll implement immediately:
- The “recommendation-first” opening template
- The 3-point evidence structure
- The appendix strategy that shows depth without burying your point
Get the Executive Slide System → £39
Based on real boardroom experience — not theory.
Is This Right For You?
This structural shift isn’t for everyone. Here’s how to know if it applies to you:
Recognised yourself in the “yes” column?
The uncomfortable truth: if you’ve been presenting the same way for years without the career progress you expected, the structure is likely the issue. Not your data. Not your confidence. Your structure.
For more on building executive-grade presentation structure, see our complete guide to executive presentation structure.
⭐ Transform How Leadership Perceives You — Starting This Week
The Executive Slide System is the complete structure transformation I wish I’d had in my first decade in banking. It would have saved years of invisible career damage.
Inside:
- The top-down structure template (copy/paste ready)
- Real before/after examples from client transformations
- The decision-slide formula that gets “yes”
- Executive summary framework for any presentation type
Get the Executive Slide System → £39
Built from 24 years in corporate banking + 15 years coaching executives on high-stakes presentations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one presentation habit really affect promotion decisions?
Yes. Promotion decisions often hinge on perceived “executive presence” and “strategic thinking” — both of which are heavily influenced by how you structure presentations. When you present bottom-up, you signal analyst-level thinking even if your content is brilliant. When you present top-down, you signal leadership readiness. I’ve seen this pattern repeatedly across 24 years in corporate banking.
How do I know if I’m making this mistake?
Open your last presentation. Look at slide 1. Does it state your recommendation and ask? Or does it say “Agenda,” “Background,” or “Overview”? If your conclusion appears after slide 10, you’re presenting bottom-up. If executives regularly interrupt you mid-presentation asking “what’s the bottom line?” — that’s another clear signal.
What if my company culture expects detailed, thorough slides?
You can still be thorough — just restructure the order. Lead with your recommendation, provide your three key supporting points, then include all the detail in an appendix. This approach gives executives what they need immediately while proving you’ve done the deep work. It’s not less thorough; it’s better organised.
How long does it take to change this habit?
The structural shift can happen with your very next presentation — it’s a framework change, not a skill that takes months to develop. The discomfort of leading with your recommendation typically fades after 2-3 presentations. Most professionals I’ve coached report noticeable changes in how leadership responds within their first month of using top-down structure.
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Your Next Step
The presentation habit that’s killing careers is structural, not cosmetic. It’s invisible because it feels logical. And it’s fixable — starting with your next deck.
Write your recommendation before you open PowerPoint. Lead with your ask. Structure top-down.
One presentation built this way can shift how leadership perceives you more than a year of good work presented the wrong way.
For more on crafting the critical first slide, see our guide to the executive summary slide.
P.S. If anxiety is also affecting your presentations, I wrote about how to speak confidently in meetings even when anxious — the structure shift actually helps with confidence too.
About Mary Beth Hazeldine
Owner & Managing Director of Winning Presentations. 24 years in corporate banking at JPMorgan Chase, PwC, RBS, and Commerzbank. Qualified clinical hypnotherapist. I help executives transform their presentations from forgettable to career-defining.
