How to Work Effectively with Executives - WIMDI In-Person Event

There’s nothing more stressful than proposing an idea to an executive. No sooner do you stroll into the room with your goofy little powerpoint do you start sweating through your shirt and second guessing every decision you’ve made leading up to this point. Is your proposal crisp enough? Will they even care about what you have to say? And how can you possibly convey everything they need to make a decision in the 5 minutes you have to speak?

If you feel like you hit a wall of yuck every time you interact with senior leaders, then you’re certainly not alone. If you’re not used to working with them, C-suite executives can feel mercurial and hard to please. But there are some key tips and tricks you can use to improve your chances of success when you’re dealing with company big-wigs.

This talk will focus on building your understanding of senior leadership and expanding your toolkit so you can engage them effectively.

We’ll cover:

• What kinds of problems do CEOs care about?
• Techniques to communicate effectively with busy executives
• How to best engage stakeholders & key decision makers
• How to assess organizational readiness, appetite for change, and timing for your proposals to maximize your ability to generate buy-in

The goal of this talk is to help you understand how executives work so you can become the c-suite whisperer at your work.

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Speakers

Allison Lickley
Management Consultant, Cascadia Strategy Consulting Partners
Allison works closely with Executives at large organizations across BC to help solve tough organizational problems and drive transformational change. She brings together creativity, strategy, and relationship-building to tackle tough problems, often at the intersection of process, technology, and people.
As a management consultant for over a decade, Allison began her consulting career at KPMG in Montreal before moving to Vancouver and joining Cascadia Strategy Consulting Partners. She holds and MBA from McGill and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Mount Allison University.

Diana Vuong
Fractional CFO, Board Member & Leadership Coach
Diana Vuong is a Coach, Consultant and Fractional CFO. She is an experienced executive and Chartered Professional Accountant with a 25+ year career in various leadership roles, including CFO for the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and a Senior Manager at KPMG.
She is passionate about coaching individuals at all stages of their career, regardless of whether they are in formal leadership roles. She believes in empowering individuals to exercise their personal agency and supporting them in their journey towards their professional and personal goals. Diana has led women’s coaching circles, coached individuals inside and outside her work organizations and is a frequent speaker on topics from finance and sustainability to organizational leadership and workplace challenges.
Diana is an active board member at both the Richmond Hospital Foundation and The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.

Monique Staals
Director Project Delivery, RAM
Monique is the Director of Project Delivery at RAM; a fast-growing consulting firm that specializes in delivery of large infrastructure projects. A Mechanical Engineer from the University of British Columbia, Monique has designed and built projects across North America in several industries including hydro and thermal power generation, utilities, transportation and mining. She is a registered Professional Engineer with Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (EGBC) and holds a Project Mangement Professional (PMP) designation. She is an active advocate for the advancement of women in leadership and believes that educating and empowering youth leaders is critical in generating meaningful change. Monique was the Women’s Infrastructure Network Emerging Leader Award Winner in 2022.

Shauna Wilton
VP Event Operations, The PNE
Shauna Wilton is the VP of Event Operations at the Pacific National Exhibition. Over her 25+ year career, she has worked in HR, Strategy, and Operations at companies such as Cascadia Partners, The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, CHC Helicopter, SAP and Pepsi.

Shauna has strong community involvement, including current positions as The President of British Columbia Golf, a position on the Board of Directors for The Vancouver Cantata Singers and a member of the Provincial Council for Golf Canada. She previously volunteered in event operations for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic games.

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Attendance Notes:

1. Gender:
   This event is open to individuals of any gender identity.
2. Code of Conduct:
   By Attending this event, you agree to adhere to WIMDI's code of conduct, which you can find at wimdi.com/code-of-conduct-and-policy.
3. Privacy, Photography and Recording*:
   This event is being recorded for release on the WIMDI YouTube channel. By attending this event you consent to the terms laid out at wimdi.com/video-release/.