High-Stakes Presentation Training: Behind Multiple Winning Presentations
Earlier this year, I was asked to support ZJA Architects and the Spanish firm Luis Vidal in preparing four high-stakes tender presentations for Schiphol Airport.
In projects like these, high-stakes presentation training is not a luxury—it’s essential. The presentations would not only showcase ideas, but play a decisive role in the final evaluation.
The committee would not only assess the quality of the proposals, but they also wanted to get to know the people behind the ideas. It was essential that the teams came across not only as highly professional, but also as warm, approachable, and collaborative. After all, they would potentially be working together for many years.
So, we started by asking the right questions:
- How do we want to come across?
- What truly matters in this presentation?
- What must be included—and what can be left out?
But just as important was practicing—again and again. Not only the presentations but also handling critical questions.
Those sessions are always the most rewarding. You see ideas sharpen, perspectives shift, and the team learning from one another. It quickly becomes clear what works, what doesn’t, what is important and what is less important. There’s a real sense of collective progress.
At the beginning of this month, the results came in.
ZJA Architects and Luis Vidal were selected for three out of the four parcels!! For each parcel, they were competing against four other strong contenders. An outstanding result.
And very well deserved. From day one, they approached this process with focus, professionalism, and dedication. This success translates into approximately ten years of work for these firms—a remarkable outcome.
It’s a great example of what can happen when you take preparation seriously. Not just polishing slides at the last minute, but building a story, a presence, and a team that people believe in.
Do you have a high-stakes presentation coming up?
And would you like to approach it with the same level of clarity, confidence, and impact?
In PWI coaching, we work together to prepare you thoroughly—so you can deliver a presentation you truly stand behind. One that resonates.
It may not lead to ten years of work (although you never know 😉), but it can certainly open the door to opportunities you don’t want to miss. Learn more here.
Kind regards,
