VP at Inflection Point

I would read it a lot more cynically. If they gave me this feedback I would think they’re covering their ass and there isn’t enough room at the director level. This ethereal bullshit doesn’t fly with me

YER FUKED

Second the comments from our Associate in M&A on developing your story telling and narrative skills. 

However - let's be clear. VP --> D is about your ability to be a future originator. It's about showing commercial acumen. 

My advice would be to partner with some MDs on business development and prove you can be an asset on this front. Deck building isn't going to stop your promote. 

As for your exits. I think VP is a no-man's land. Director you can make a nice move to Corp Dev as a VP Corporate or Head of (for smaller firms) if required. VP is already a bit advanced for a PE move unless you've got connections.

The biggest issue to me here is that this is feedback I'd expect at the path from associate to VP rather than VP to Director. 

There is a big transition from execution (analyst to VP) to origination (VP-MD) responsibilities and your slide output really isn't the biggest driver in that jump. I would be a lot more focused on your (verbal) presentation skills, ability to leverage your industry network, building deeper rapport with your clients and navigating your internal political machine.

I'm afraid if you're taking your cues based on feedback on your slide generation, you're not having the kind of conversations I'd expect you to have to be moving forward towards an origination role. You may not want to move toward D/MD path and there is always scope to stay around in execution focused role for longer but you probably need to take a more proactive role in your advancement if you don't want your boss to take the decision for you (with perhaps an unwanted outcome). 

For outlining slides, I've found chatgpt to be pretty helpful. Even if you end up changing up the outline, it provides a good structure/template. You could even tell it the existing template and ask chatgpt for incremental slides that would drive home any particular points you are trying to make with the slides (unless of course, the MD's just want more slides with no actual point, which in my experience also happens). 

Is it just me or is this ultra unusual feedback for a VP looking to move up? Your ability to make Director is determined by your slide design abilities??? What? That's how you get promoted to Associate. At Director level is the point at which I feel like it's finally okay to get out of the Excel/Powerpoint weeds and slowly turn into a technology inept boomer. Curious of context.