When presenting to senior leaders, how you structure your message is just as important as the content itself. A well-framed presentation helps your audience track, engage, and retain what you are saying. A poorly structured one leaves people lost, distracted, or asking, “What was the point of that?”
You do not need dozens of frameworks. A few simple ones, mastered and flexed for different situations, will elevate your executive presence and ensure your message sticks.
Framework #1: The STAR Model (Situation, Task, Action, Result). The STAR model—sometimes extended as STAR(C) with a final Connection - was popularized in behavioral interviewing, most notably by Amazon, to ensure candidates shared clear, structured, and results-driven stories. Its power translates directly to executive communication, especially when sharing progress, lessons learned, or case studies, because it keeps updates concise, logical, and focused on impact.
Situation: What was happening?
Task: What needed to be done?
Action: What did you (or your team) do?
Result: What changed as a result?
· (Connection): How does this tie back to the bigger picture or future priorities?
For example: “Outages were averaging 10 hours a month (Situation). We needed to improve reliability (Task). We upgraded the infrastructure (Action). Outages dropped to one hour a month (Result). This improvement positions us to scale customer demand confidently (Connection).”
STAR works because it’s outcome-oriented and easy to follow. By structuring updates this way, you not only share what happened but also reinforce why it matters to the business.
Framework #2: What–Why–How. This is one of the most powerful frameworks for persuading executives to take action. Communication Expert Nancy Duarte often stresses that leaders lose their audience when they skip the “why.” This framework ensures you hit all three essentials.
· What: Lead with the headline — the decision, recommendation, or key point.
· Why: Explain why it matters and what’s at stake — the impact on strategy, results, or risk.
· How: How you’ll execute or what support you need. Outline the plan or next steps, keeping it concise and high-level.
Example: “We need to invest in new onboarding software (what). This will reduce employee ramp-up time by 25% and cut attrition in year one (why). The implementation requires a six-month rollout and $300K budget (how).”
The brilliance of this model is its clarity. By starting with the “what,” you respect the executive audience’s time. The “why” builds buy-in, and the “how” reassures them there’s a credible path forward.
Framework #3: Goals → Results → Insights → Next Steps (GRIN). Think of this as the executive retrospective plus roadmap. It’s especially powerful in quarterly business reviews or board updates, because it shows discipline in tracking outcomes while keeping a forward tilt.
How it works:
Goals: What we set out to achieve (anchor to original commitments).
Results: What happened — successes, misses, and the data behind them.
Insights: What we learned — trends, risks, or shifts in the environment.
Next Steps: Where we go from here — decisions, priorities, and asks.
For example: “Our goal was to expand market share in two regions (Goals). We achieved 8% growth in one, but fell short in the second due to delayed partnerships (Results). We learned that local distribution agreements are a bottleneck (Insights). Next quarter, we’ll fast-track partner onboarding and reallocate resources to accelerate regional momentum (Next Steps).”
This framework resonates in executive settings because it’s concise, repeatable, and momentum-building. You don’t just report results — you connect them to insights and actions that move the business forward.
Framework #4: Three-Point Takeaway. Sometimes the simplest structure is the most powerful. The Three-Point Takeaway helps you cut through complexity and leave your audience with a message they’ll actually remember. Cognitive science reveals that our brains process and recall information most effectively in groups of three — it feels complete without being overwhelming.
How it works:
· Main Message: The one thing you want them to remember.
· Three Points: Three labeled pillars that support your message.
· Examples: Data, stories, or anecdotes that make each point tangible.
For example:
“To make this launch successful (main message), we must nail three things: speed, quality, and customer experience (three points). Here’s one example of how we’re addressing each…”
This format is effective for board updates, strategy rollouts, or crisis communication. It gives your message structure, memorability, and impact. If your audience can repeat back two of your three points, you’ve succeeded.
Executive communication isn’t about dazzling with complexity — it’s about structuring your message so it lands with clarity, credibility, and impact. Whether you use STAR to share progress, What–Why–How to persuade, GRIN to review and reset direction, or the Three-Point Takeaway to drive memorability, these frameworks keep your audience focused on what matters most. Master a few, flex them as needed, and you’ll elevate not just your presentations, but your overall executive presence . The best communicators know the framework is not the point; it’s the bridge that makes your point land.
Reflection Question: Which of these frameworks would make your next presentation sharper and more memorable? Comment and share below; we’d love to hear from you!
Quote of the Day: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci
The next blog in this series 5/9 will focus on communication the hidden advantage of prep work.
As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to sharpen their executive communication skills. Contact me to explore this topic further.
Which frameworks do you use?