Tag: executive engagement

The CEO leaned forward and said five words I’d never heard in a steering committee: “How can we do more?”

My client had just finished her transformation update. Same programme that six months earlier had executives checking their watches. Same steering committee that used to rush through her slot to get to “more important” agenda items.

But something had changed. Not the programme — the programme was on track, same as before. What changed was how she presented it.

She’d stopped reporting status. She’d started showcasing momentum. And suddenly, the executives who had been passive observers became active champions.

I’m seeing a shift in 2026: executives are drowning in transformation initiatives — digital, AI, sustainability, operating model. The programmes that survive aren’t necessarily the best-run ones. They’re the ones whose leaders know how to make the steering committee feel invested in their success.

The transformation my client led wasn’t unusual — a digital modernisation programme at a mid-sized financial services firm. Good progress, reasonable challenges, nothing dramatically wrong or right.

But her first six months of updates had been… forgettable. Milestone trackers. RAG statuses. Risk registers. The steering committee nodded politely and moved on.

When we redesigned her approach, we didn’t change the facts. We changed the story. Instead of “here’s where we are,” she started telling “here’s what we’ve unlocked.” Instead of “here’s what might go wrong,” she started asking “here’s where you can help us go further.”

The executives didn’t just approve her next phase. They volunteered resources from their own teams. One board member mentioned the programme in an investor call — as an example of “the innovative work we’re doing.”

Same programme. Different narrative. Completely different level of sponsorship.

The Momentum Mindset

Most programme managers think their job is to report status. It’s not. Your job is to maintain momentum — and momentum is as much about perception as reality.

Consider two ways to present the same fact:

Status mindset: “Phase 2 is 73% complete. We have 14 tasks remaining. Timeline is on track.”

Momentum mindset: “Phase 2 unlocked three capabilities that weren’t possible last quarter. Operations is already using the new workflow, and they’re asking when Phase 3 features arrive.”

Both are true. But one sounds like a progress report, and the other sounds like a success story. Guess which one makes executives want to invest more?

Why Momentum Matters More Than Status

Transformation programmes live or die by executive sponsorship. And executive sponsorship depends on executives feeling that:

• Their investment is paying off — They can see tangible returns, not just completed tasks
• The team is winning — There’s energy and progress, not just competent execution
• They’re part of something important — The programme matters to the organisation’s future
• Their involvement makes a difference — They have a role beyond rubber-stamping updates

Status updates address none of these. Momentum updates address all of them.

The 5-Slide Structure That Builds Champions

After working with transformation leaders across banking, consulting, and FTSE 100 companies, this is the structure that consistently turns passive steering committees into active advocates:

Slide 1: The Win Wall (60 seconds)

Start with what’s been achieved — not completed, achieved. There’s a difference.

“Completed” is internal: “We finished the data migration.”

“Achieved” is external: “Customer service teams now resolve queries 40% faster because they have unified data access.”

Your Win Wall should feature 3-4 outcomes that matter to the business. Each one framed as: what changed, who benefits, and what it enables next.

This slide sets the tone for everything that follows. It says: “This programme is delivering value. Now let’s talk about how to deliver more.”

Slide 2: The Momentum Metrics (30 seconds)

Show movement, not position. Executives don’t need to know you’re “73% complete.” They need to know you’re accelerating, on pace, or (if necessary) recalibrating.

Choose 3-4 metrics that demonstrate forward motion:

• Adoption velocity: How fast are people using what you’ve built?
• Value realisation: What benefits are already being captured?
• Capability unlocks: What can the organisation do now that it couldn’t before?
• Stakeholder sentiment: How do users and sponsors feel about progress?

Notice: none of these are “tasks completed” or “budget spent.” Those are inputs. Executives care about outputs.

Slide 3: The Spotlight Story (90 seconds)

Every month, feature one specific success in detail. A team that’s transformed their workflow. A customer outcome that exceeded expectations. A capability that’s generating unexpected value.

This does three things:

• Makes abstract progress concrete and human
• Gives executives a story they can retell (“Did you hear what the transformation team achieved in operations?”)
• Creates heroes within the organisation who become programme advocates

Rotate your spotlight across different areas of the programme. Everyone who gets featured becomes invested in overall programme success.

Slide 4: The Opportunity Horizon (60 seconds)

This is where you invite executive engagement — not by asking them to solve problems, but by showing them possibilities.

“Based on what we’ve learned in Phase 2, we see three opportunities to accelerate value in Phase 3…”

“The operations team is asking whether we could extend this capability to [adjacent area]. If the steering committee sees strategic value, we could scope this for Q3…”

You’re not asking for permission. You’re asking for guidance on where to create more value. That’s a conversation executives want to have.

The Executive Slide System (£39) includes “Opportunity Horizon” templates that frame expansion possibilities in ways executives find compelling.

Slide 5: The Ask (30 seconds)

End with one clear request — but make it an opportunity to contribute, not a problem to solve.

Instead of: “We need budget approval to continue Phase 3.”

Try: “Phase 3 is ready to launch. We’d like your endorsement to proceed — and your input on which business units should pilot first.”

The difference: one positions executives as gatekeepers. The other positions them as strategic partners. Guess which one generates more enthusiasm?

How to Showcase Wins Without Bragging

Some programme managers resist the momentum approach because it feels like self-promotion. “I don’t want to oversell. What if we hit problems next month?”

Here’s the reframe: showcasing wins isn’t about you. It’s about the organisation.

The Credit Distribution Principle

Every win you present should credit someone other than your programme team:

• “The operations team embraced the new workflow and found three efficiency improvements we hadn’t anticipated.”
• “Finance’s early adoption created the proof points that convinced other departments to accelerate their timeline.”
• “The steering committee’s decision to prioritise data quality in Q1 is why we’re seeing these customer experience gains now.”

When you distribute credit, you’re not bragging — you’re celebrating collective success. And everyone you credit becomes an advocate for continued programme investment.

The “Because Of” Frame

Connect wins to decisions executives made:

“Because the board approved accelerated investment in January, we were able to deliver three months ahead of the original timeline.”

“Because the CFO championed cross-functional data sharing, we’re seeing benefits that weren’t in our original business case.”

This isn’t flattery. It’s accountability — showing that executive decisions produced executive-level results. It makes them feel invested in your success because they’re partly responsible for it.

Turning Observers Into Advocates

The ultimate goal isn’t just approval — it’s advocacy. You want steering committee members actively championing your programme in conversations you’re not part of.

Create Retellable Moments

Executives talk to other executives. Board members talk to investors. Your updates should give them stories worth retelling.

A forgettable update: “The transformation programme is on track.”

A retellable moment: “The new customer portal went live in 8 weeks instead of 6 months, and NPS jumped 15 points in the first month.”

When you give executives impressive specifics, they become your marketing team.

Assign Meaningful Roles

Don’t just inform executives — involve them. Specific, valuable involvement:

• “We’d value your perspective on which market segment to pilot next.”
• “Could you introduce us to your counterpart at [partner company] who faced a similar integration?”
• “The board presentation would benefit from your narrative on strategic alignment.”

Each ask makes them more invested. Each contribution makes them more likely to defend the programme when budget pressures arise.

The sponsor engagement frameworks in the Executive Slide System (£39) show you exactly how to create these involvement opportunities.

Maintaining Energy Across the Programme Lifecycle

Transformation programmes are marathons, not sprints. Maintaining executive energy over 18-24 months requires deliberate effort.

The Energy Curve Challenge

Most programmes follow a predictable pattern:

• Launch: High executive attention, lots of enthusiasm
• Middle months: Attention fades, “business as usual” takes over
• Final stretch: Renewed interest as outcomes become visible

The middle months are where programmes lose sponsorship — not because anything went wrong, but because executives stopped paying attention.

Breaking the Attention Fade

Combat mid-programme drift with deliberate momentum markers:

Quarterly “State of Transformation” sessions: Bigger than monthly updates. Invite broader leadership. Celebrate cumulative progress.

Value realisation milestones: Don’t wait until the end to show ROI. Identify early wins that demonstrate the business case is working.

External validation: Industry recognition, analyst mentions, customer testimonials. Third-party credibility renews internal enthusiasm.

Expansion announcements: “Based on success in Division A, we’re extending to Division B.” Growth signals success.

The Narrative Arc

Think of your transformation as a story with chapters. Each steering committee update should feel like progress in that story — not a disconnected status report.

“Last month we unlocked the foundation. This month we’re seeing the first benefits. Next month we’ll expand to new areas.”

Executives stay engaged with stories. They disengage from spreadsheets.

📬 PS: Weekly strategies for executive communication and transformation leadership. Subscribe to The Winning Edge — practical tactics from 24 years in corporate transformation.

That CEO who asked “How can we do more?” became my client’s biggest advocate. He mentioned the programme in three board meetings, secured additional funding without being asked, and personally called to congratulate the team when they hit a major milestone.

None of that happened because the programme suddenly got better. It happened because the story changed.

Your transformation programme is probably doing good work. The question is whether your steering committee knows it — whether they feel it, whether they want to be part of it.

Stop reporting status. Start showcasing momentum. Lead with wins. Create champions.

The executives in your steering committee want to support something exciting. Give them that story, and they’ll fight for your budget, your timeline, and your success.