LEARN TO THINK
AND COMMUNICATE
LIKE AN EXECUTIVE
… while enjoying the journey
Get better, faster decisions by
communicating more strategically
Effective executives know how to engage senior leaders and boards.
For just $490 you can too.
Effective executive communication requires
more than ‘great writing’
Do your review cycles look like this?
Let’s fix that.
Iterating quickly on your messaging cuts painful review cycles and lifts clarity
The Engage self-paced executive communication training teaches you how to structure your messaging to engage senior leaders and Boards by …
Clarifying the core value your communication must deliver.
Applying proven structured thinking frameworks, including the Pyramid Principle and MECE.
Building a tight one-pager to streamline feedback and avoid endless edits.
Adapting your message for presentations, reports, or papers (even emails).
Continuously improving by applying lessons from each cycle.
Engage offers lifetime access and
incentives to complete
Top-tier consulting techniques applied to business settings
Illustrates approach to relatable business contexts
- Is grounded in stakeholder-management reality
- Explains how to create clarity under pressure and in the midst of ambiguity
Quality learning boosts engagement and results
36 bite-sized videos (about 4 hours total) with real-world examples from 25+ years of coaching.
Two case-based exercises: a minor one to get started and a major one to apply the technique step by step as you complete the modules.
Quizzes to build skill and confidence.
Real-world examples bring theory to life
- 24 one-pagers to inspire your own communication.
- Annotated PowerPoints demonstrating how to communicate 7 common business stories.
Discussion threads to ask questions
Ask questions and share wins and challenges via course discussions.
Suggest topics for future course updates.
- Receive answers quickly.
Practical tools take you from information to insight
- Annotated templates for decision-making documents like presentations to your senior leaders or board.
- PowerPoint Planner to craft your messaging as a one-pager and turn it into a doc or deck.
- SCORE framework to assess the quality of your messaging and communication.
- Pattern Picker to help you decide which story archetype (I call them patterns) suits you best.
- Framework for adapting the Pyramid Principle into your leadership and board templates.
Incentives to motivate you
- 2 completion bonuses. Your choice of my books if you complete all modules within four weeks of registering (once paid in full). A desk reference, not available anywhere else, keeping the key ideas at your fingertips.
- Regular emails sharing ideas and case studies to inspire you to finish.
Lifetime access to refresh any time
- Download slides for notes and reference.
- Refresh your skills anytime.
- Come back and use the Pattern Picker whenever you need.
Business and education experience …
I bring a mix of corporate experience, professional communication skills, and educational know-how. Running my own business has bolstered my leadership insight and refined how I apply structured thinking techniques to deliver maximum value to your business in the minimum possible time.
To help you engage decision-makers …
I specialize in helping executives bridge the gap with audiences that are less familiar with their area, ensuring those ideas are truly understood and valued. This builds confidence, saves time, and makes your work more strategic and rewarding.
By leveraging top-tier techniques
Since the mid-1990s, I have helped all kinds of professionals clarify and communicate complex ideas. Certified to teach the Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto in 2009, I’ve worked with top firms like McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group. I worked on staff for McKinsey for 3 years and then freelance, coaching their teams for another 15. I also helped BCG design their core strength training program in Australia. In parallel I have supported thousands of executives from the CEO down in all sorts of organizations worldwide … while loving every minute of it.
Does online learning actually work?
Yes … if you are motivated.
> Early wins from applying the foundational ideas will spur you on.
> Regular email nudges will keep you on track.
> Completion incentives will get you over the line.
Got more questions about Engage?
Who is Engage for?
Engage suits professionals who need greater clarity and confidence when presenting to senior decision makers.
Students typically include chiefs of staff, company secretaries, strategy and PMO teams, technology, finance and risk leaders and governance professionals.
Participants also include public sector executives and anyone across corporate, government, and not-for-profit contexts where communication needs to set up better, faster decision making.
How is Engage different from other executive communication courses?
Many executive communication courses focus on general presentation skills or writing style. Engage is built specifically around structured thinking, the McKinsey-originated approach to synthesising complex information so senior decision-makers can engage with it immediately.
Davina Stanley is one of very few people approved by Barbara Minto herself to teach the Pyramid Principle, which sits at the heart of the Engage methodology. The result is a course that goes beyond polish and style to address how you think before you write.
What is structured thinking?
Structured thinking is a technique developed at McKinsey & Company during the 1960s by a team led by the Firm’s first female consultant, Barbara Minto.
The team leveraged universal thinking techniques to develop a highly structured way to distil the essence out of complex material and convey it clearly and convincingly.
The structure itself becomes a ‘thinking machine’ that helps not just tidy ideas so they are neatly organised, but to actually identify what they are.
By knowing the techniques, you can see when ideas don’t belong and then work out what to do about that. Do you move them, remove them or modify them to give the structure integrity?
Knowing the techniques enables you to make these decisions quickly and intelligently.
What results do Engage students typically see?
Participants consistently report two measurable improvements: leaders cut the number of times they review major presentations by around 30%, and teams cut the time they spend preparing major presentations by at least 20%, often much more.
Beyond the numbers, the most common feedback is that senior meetings shift from clarifying what a presentation is trying to say, to discussing the substance so they can make better decisions faster.
Does my access expire?
Access to the modules does not expire. As long as our website exists, you can revisit the course.
How do I complete the course?
The course modules are housed in a world-class learning management system.
You can log in from our website on any device: your laptop, tablet or phone.
Does Engage include case studies and examples?
Engage is loaded with case studies and examples at every step.
I explain each key idea in conjunction with real-world examples and offer a vault with 24 message maps covering six common types of business stories.
The minor and major case study exercises are also based on real stories emerging from my consulting practice.
Do I get a certificate of completion?
Yes.
Each module includes a video, notes and a short quiz to help you consolidate your learning.
You must get more than 70% correct in each quiz to proceed to the next module.
How do I arrange for reimbursement from my employer?
Email us at contact@clarityfirstprogram.com and we will provide you with a draft request note to send to your manager.
Will completion qualify me for CPD points?
Yes. In the past, students have gained Continuing Professional Development points from completing the course.
In some cases the detail on the certificate of completion is sufficient.
If not, let us know and we’ll help you provide what you need.
Can I enrol my Team into the course?
We encourage Teams to embark on this learning journey together and offer group enrolment discounts. Learn more here >>
How is this different from your other courses?
This is my most comprehensive course.
Engage is for anyone who needs to communicate with senior leaders or above.
It offers a comprehensive set of case studies targeted at that senior level.
No prior knowledge or experience is required.
What others are saying…
Email any further questions to ...
contact@clarityfirstprogram.com
Group discounts available upon request.