Natalie Cervantes

Read the Room: Decoding What Your Stakeholder Actually Wants

Microsoft

Cruise

Toptal

Former Microsoft PM, Cruise EM, 20 years in Product Leadership

Whether it is from fear, an unknown constraint, or a misaligned goal, you'll be able to asses the reason, in real time.

Identify the real reason a stakeholder is pushing back

Ask three key questions in any alignment conversation that surface unstated concerns before they kill your initiative.

Learn the 3 key questions to ask

Reframe on the spot when a conversation goes sideways, so you can move a stalled initiative forward without escalating.

Actively reframe to win

Stop over-explaining and start guiding decisions. You'll become the professional who walks into senior rooms and walks out with a yes.

24-Year Banker -> Presentation Expert

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Commerzbank

Royal Bank

Mary Beth Hazeldine

24 years at JPMorgan, PwC, RBS. Now training executives to win decisions.

Cohort 4

Cohort 5

You've done the work. You know the material. You've prepared the slides.And yet the decision stalls.Polite nods. Reasonable questions. Then: "Let's take this offline." "We'll circle back." "Good discussion."Translation: No decision today.If this keeps happening, it's not because you lack expertise or presentation skills. It's because the way you're structuring your message doesn't match how senior people decide.Here's what nobody tells you: executives make their decision in the first few minutes, then spend the rest of the time looking for reasons to trust that instinct—or doubt it. When you lead with context, build to your recommendation, and back it up with extensive data, you're triggering doubt, not confidence.The unspoken question in their mind: "If they need this much explanation, is the recommendation actually solid?"This course gives you a different approach—a system built on how decisions actually happen in senior rooms. You'll learn to structure your message so that "yes" feels like the obvious, low-risk choice.Not through tips you'll forget under pressure. Through a repeatable system that works even when you're tired, rushed, or facing pushback.

Executives decide before your presentation ends. Structure accordingly

Structure presentations that win decisions

Remove the anxiety before you even start

Build credibility without over-explaining

Choose proof that reassures, not proof that defends

Handle pushback without becoming defensive

Use AI tools without sounding generic or losing authority

<code>You present to executives, boards, or steering committees—and need decisions, not "good discussions." Your credibility is on the line.</code>

You pitch to clients and present recommendations for a living. Stalled decisions cost you deals, revenue, and repeat business.

You're in relationship management, business development, or sales—presenting to win deals, budgets, or strategic alignment.

High-stakes rooms test your communication. This workshop strengthens it.

Global VP x-IBM ◆ $2B P&L ◆2000+ teams 

Google

Amazon Web Services

Palantir

Monica Aggarwal

Built from code reviews, tested in the C-suite, and sharpened in the boardroom.

Alpha

Gamma

You can be brilliant at your job and still lose the room. Not because your ideas are weak. Because the way you communicate them does not sound strategic enough for the moment.In high-stakes meetings, leaders are judged fast.Can you get to the point? Can you frame what matters? Can you answer tough questions without becoming defensive, rambling, or vague? Can you make others trust your judgment when the pressure is on?That is what this workshop is built for.AI can help everyone write cleaner emails and prettier slides. But it cannot replace strategic communication: the ability to speak with clarity, brevity, and composure when stakes are high &amp; decisions matter.In this live 3-hour workshop, you will learn how to communicate at executive altitude, make sharper recommendations, handle pushback, and sound more credible in the moments that shape your career.This is not theory. It is hands-on practice. You will work through real examples, live practice, and communication drills you can apply immediately in updates, stakeholder meetings, skip-levels, and leadership reviews. If you’re ready to build this muscle, come ready to practice how you speak in the moments that matter most.

This will be a live practice session -> if you are not ready to be challenged, this workshop is not for you.

Ready to get sharper under pressure

Product &amp; Tech leaders who do strong work but do not always sound as strategic, concise, or senior as they want in the room.

Executives presenting to customers, boards, partners, or industry audiences and need to communicate in high-visibility settings.

Senior ICs stepping into leadership/executive roles. They have the expertise. They are still building the executive voice to match it.

Strengthen inner confidence, inspire others, and sharpen leadership skills through hands-on exercises and real-world tools

Leadership Coach 

Ha Tran

Founder, Ex-Google, Chief of Staff, U.S Department of State Professional fellow

Cohort 1

Cohort 3

In high-stakes moments, three things show up at once: 1. what you know is true2. what it might cost3. what you think you should do Most people try to resolve this by thinking harder or speaking better.It does not work. Because the problem is not clarity. The problem is authority. When no one is clearly leading, you: - hesitate even when you know the answer- over-explain to justify your position- say something, then walk it back- leave conversations feeling misaligned This is not a confidence issue. It is a governance issue. What changes after this workshop- You speak without over-explaining or softening your position- You make decisions faster without needing full certainty- You stop negotiating against yourself in real time- You handle pushback without collapsing or escalating- You stay aligned with your decision after the conversation ends This workshop is for you if: - You know what you want to say, but change it in the moment- You make decisions, then second-guess them after- You feel tension between what is true and what is acceptable- You are seen as capable, but do not feel fully in control under pressureMaximum 20 people/workshop to keep it intimate and practical.

You are not confused. You are running multiple leaders.

Make decisions under pressure without internal conflict

Senior leaders and managers looking to lead with conviction and assurance.

High-performing professionals who want to build stronger, more confident leadership skills.

Emerging leaders who seek to develop self-assurance, overcome self-doubt, and project confidence in high-stakes situations.

The Audience in Your Head Is Quietly Writing Your Strategy

Decision Researcher, Speaker, Founder

University of Bath

Dr Shah

Decision Strategist | Speaker | Founder-Educator

Smart leaders rarely think they are performing. They think they are adapting. Reading the room. Being diplomatic. Choosing the version of themselves the situation calls for. Each adjustment feels professional. Each one is also a quiet decision about who you will be when watched.That is exactly the problem.The recommendation you softened in the board deck because you were not sure how it would land. The disagreement you swallowed in the meeting because the senior person seemed invested. The opinion you kept to yourself because the room was already aligned. The version of you that shows up when the right people are watching is not the version that built your reputation in the first place. The performance is starting to cost you the authority you were trying to protect.This workshop is for founders, executives, and senior professionals who have noticed they are managing how they are seen more than what they are deciding. You will learn to recognise when fear of judgement has shaped a decision, see what you are quietly performing for and what it is costing you, and walk away with the protocols to decide without the room in your head writing the strategy for you.

Students learn to spot when fear of judgement shapes decisions, intercept the performance, and decide without the room in their head

You will spot when fear of judgement is shaping a decision you are making

You will map the audience your decisions have been performing for 

You will see the six stages where performance hijacks a decision

You will master the protocols that intercept performance before it decides

You will make one decision without the room in your head in fourteen days

You will carry a system that catches the performance in future decisions

The Founder Performing for the Room

The Senior Executive Managing How They Are Seen

The Senior Professional Holding Back What They Think

Agentic AI

Coding with AI

AI Workflows

Claude Code

OpenClaw

Vibe Coding

AI Evals

AI Transformation

RAG & Search

AI for PMs

AI for Engineers

AI for Designers

AI for Marketers

AI for Founders

Product Sense

Product Discovery

User Research

Prototyping

Growth

Analytics

Tech Foundations

Strategy

Influence

Leadership

Career Growth

Machine Learning

LLM Ops

Context Eng

Security

System Design

Figma

Design Systems

Visual Design

Design Strategy

Automation

Content Marketing

Demand Gen

Go-to-Market

Product Marketing

Positioning

Social Media

Brand

B2B Marketing

SEO & AEO

AI for Leaders

AI Governance

Communication

Management

People Operations

Exec Presence

Storytelling

Goal-setting

Personal Brand

Fundraising

Everyone

Operators

Data Scientists

Business Analysts

User Researchers

Customer Success

Project Managers

HR Professionals

Sales People

Lawyers

Finance

Investors

Real Estate

Educators

Creators

Introduction and Speaker's Background

Talk Overview and a Story of Misunderstanding

The Importance of Listening: A Personal Anecdote

The Power of "No": Why Pushback is a Good Thing

Case Study: Improving a Team's Agile Workflow

Effective Phrases for Navigating Pushback

The Importance of Active Listening and Curiosity

Uncovering Motivations and Achieving Alignment

Conclusion and Course Information

Product managers who drive strategy, development, and launch of products.

Executives and senior leaders who set strategy, lead teams, and drive organizational outcomes.

Broad professional audience — content relevant across many roles and functions.

Startup founders building new businesses, from MVP to scale.

Developing leadership skills — inspiring teams, building culture, navigating organizational complexity, and driving results through others.

Persuading stakeholders, presenting ideas, and getting buy-in across an organization without formal authority.

Read the Room: Decoding What Your Stakeholder Actually Wants

What you'll learn

Why this topic matters

You'll learn from

Natalie Cervantes