Take It for a Test Ride

When you've created a presentation that you think tells your story with impact and imagination , deliver it to several people who will give you a brutally honest opinion. Again, this is a point at which an outside consultant can add valuable insight to your process. If you don't use a consultant, at least go outside the training department. Find someone you trust, a leader who doesn't instantly understand the benefits of training, and test the soundness of your case. Ask this person to stop you when you use training jargon, or when you make assumptions that don't connect with the needs of your intended audience. Ask this person to rate the presentation and point out where you can improve, where you could make clearer connections to the business goals of the company, and what points you should sell harder or with different emphasis.

Based on the feedback we got when we delivered our initial presentation to inside supporters and our consultants , we changed our approach slightly. We added more Rockwell Collins vernacular and put the plan in a context that would be familiar to people in the business of aeronautics. For example, Rockwell Collins's people refer to a budget as the Annual Operating Plan and budgeting as the AOP Process. Using this sort of jargon incorporated familiarity into our pitch. This can be especially difficult if you are new to the organization.