How to Win Over Senior Leaders in Under 90 Seconds

By: Stephanie Bickel

Senior leaders are short on time but not short on expectations.If you want their attention, alignment, or approval, you need to make your message clear, relevant, and fast.

You don’t need more slides. You need more intention.

At Speak by Design, we coach professionals to lead with what matters most, because if you don’t earn their attention in the first 90 seconds, you may not get a second chance.

Why the First 90 Seconds Matter

Executives are constantly scanning for three things:

1. Relevance: Is this worth my time?

2. Impact: Will this move the business forward?

3. Clarity: Do I understand it without having to decode it?

If your first 90 seconds don’t deliver, they’ll mentally (or literally) check out.

3 Ways to Capture Executive Attention Fast

1. Start with a Strategic Question

Instead of diving into background or updates, open with something that engages decision-making.

“Would you be open to a new approach that could cut our response time by 30%?”

This reframes the room’s mindset, from passive listening to active evaluating.

2. Link to Profitability or Strategic Priorities

Executives think in terms of ROI, efficiency, and future risk. Tie your message directly to what matters most to them.

“This recommendation will reduce client churn by 8%, equivalent to $2.5M in retained revenue this year.”

Even if you’re not in sales or finance, learn how your work connects to the bottom line.

3. Use the Pyramid Principle

This classic executive communication model starts with the answer first, then supports it.

Structure:

1. Answer or Recommendation

2. 3 Key Points Supporting It

3. Details or Data as Needed
   

“We recommend centralizing vendor management. Here’s why: It cuts duplication, reduces errors, and improves negotiation leverage.”

You lead with what they need to hear, not how you got there.

How to Win Over Senior Leaders in Under 90 Seconds Framework:

0:00–0:20: Ask a strategic question. Opens engagement and reframes the room

0:21–0:40: Share your main point or recommendation. Provides clarity immediately

0:41–0:60: Back it with business impact. Makes relevance unmistakable

0:61–0:90: Offer to go deeper or answer questions. Signals control and respect for their time

“If you can’t explain your message in 90 seconds, you probably haven’t clarified it yet.” — Stephanie Bickel

Exercise: Rehearse Your 90-Second Pitch

Take one idea, update, or recommendation you need to deliver this week.

Then, record yourself answering these three prompts:

1. What’s the most important thing I need to say?

2. How does this impact our goals or bottom line?

3. What’s one question I can ask to open the conversation?

Play it back. Trim the fluff. Tighten your phrasing.

Aim for clarity, not completeness.

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Strong communication is the skill that changes careers.

If 2026 is a year you want to lead with more confidence, clarity, and influence, Speak by Design University can help you get there.

Choose the track that fits your goals:

Accelerator • Emerging Leader • Director/Builder • Executive.

Across the year, you’ll build a Communication Portfolio, receive private coaching, and work inside a peer cohort designed for your level.

Explore the 2026 program: https://speakbydesign.com/join