The one key criteria which differentiates a “great” chap and a “good chap” in the eyes of top management is how they handle themselves when they have no good news and still have to present their reviews. The reviews may be quarterly or half yearly or annual reviews. Or, it could even be those monthly review meetings. No one can possibly escape from these meetings. So, if you have nothing - absolutely nothing which is even remotely good news, what do you do?

The great ones do a little cheating here. The top management knows all about it and they still love it. Simply because how it is presented. the good ones present them as the facts are. And, sink into one sobbing story. The great ones paint a slightly different picture and emerge smiling.

There are 3 things that you can do to “cheat a little”:

1) Find out something which can become positive in the near future even if it is not so right now. Suppose you have failed miserably in selling your product. But, you have an idea, however remote, to turn around the product. So, state the fact but dwelve more on how you are going to turn it around

2) Use a little self deprecating humour. When you laugh at yourself, people also join in and stop critisizing you.

3) Use pictures and anectodes which are positive and give a surround sound effect on the presentation so that on the whole the experience is positive. Pepper your presentation, which is otherwise carrying negative news, with funny cartoons which are appropriately placed and anectodes which can inject lot of positive energy.

4) Remain positive. Throughout the presentation. No stooped shoulders. No shifting eyes.

5) Convey cheerfulness. Top management wants to know how you feel despite the bad news. They are reading into your body language. If you remain cheerful, they the message take out is that you are going to get out of this doom and perform.

Remember : communication is not only about what is being conveyed. It is also about how it is conveyed. The ‘How’ part is completely upto you.