Impact and Influence: Lessons from presenting to the Board of Directors

There is no single presentation that can make or break a person’s career as a Board level presentation. Deliver a high impact presentation and your credibility and visibility can soar in the eyes of the company’s highest level directors. Stumble, fumble or mumble your way through and you lose respect in these decision-makers eyes. So what can we do to better refine a Board level presentation? Here are some areas to consider:

  1. Be precise
  2. Be concrete
  3. Be critical
  4. Be prepared

To read more about these areas to prepare, read the article here.

Be precise in your actions

By the nature of their roles, Board Directors are under a great deal of time pressure. They are unforgiving of people who ‘waste their time’ or are perceived to waste their time through a fuzzy approach. Remember, just because your intention is not to waste their time, doesn’t mean that they will see things the same way. When facing such a group, everything you do should be conducted with precision. For example:

  • Data you show should have a precise rationale and you should be ready to swiftly run through your calculations when challenged
  • Handouts should have a specific purpose and you should think about when is exactly the right time to introduce a handout. Plus, you should allow the Directors to read a handout before you talk it through
  • Opinions should be expressed succinctly and with certainty. Do your thinking before you face the Board and have an opinion that can stand up to questioning
  • Words and language should expressed precision and certainty. Eliminate too many modifiers like ‘might’, ‘could’ and ‘maybe’. State your case and back it up

Be concrete in your requests and recommendations

A challenge facing every presenter when preparing content is what level of detail is required. With a Board, you’ll face a situation where you know more about the given area. Many presenters fall into the ‘I know too much, so I say too much’ trap. While your ideas are important, even more pressing for a Board is the decision that needs to made as a result of your ideas. You must be really specific. Remember:

  • Vague and general concepts are not looked upon favorably by a Board. What exactly do you want from the Board?
  • Your proposal can only be approved when you know what you want. Be clear in what you are asking for in terms of resources and budget
  • How much do you need? What financial resources are you requesting?
  • How will this investment pay itself back? Express the ROI (return on investment) and other benefits that may accrue as a result of the investment?
  • How will you measure success? How will you track the investment returns? What are the key metrics?

Be critical in your thinking

The Board are hiring you to help them think through the parts of the business that you are responsible for managing. At a Board level presentation, you are expected to demonstrate that you’re the right person for this role. Clarity and critical thinking are crucial skills to have. For example:

  • While you’re preparing the content, test your assumptions by asking ‘why’. Why are we assuming this to happen? Why are we suggesting this as a solution? Why do we think this will be the reaction of customers?
  • If you’re uncertain about assumptions or how actions will be received, show how you will find about quickly and effectively. Suggest pilot projects or fast surveys

Be prepared as a high performing team

Placing a Board of Directors into a room is a tremendous investment for the company. Just calculate the cost per hour of this meeting. Your role is to ensure that a positive return is made for all parties. A systematic dedicated to preparation is required from you and your team. For example:

  • Individuals know their stuff front and back
  • Data has been checked and rechecked for errors
  • For team presentations, a true rehearsal has been conducted. This needs more than reading through slides but must have a stand-up, speak-out-aloud and timed rehearsal
  • Role playing possible questions that the Board will ask and how to address them
  • A assessment of who will be attending, what they are most concerned with and how to smooth over any weaknesses in the presentation

The Board presentation is a high stakes presentation that can launch or block a promising career. These areas should help you get started. Also, below we have links to other article that could help you prepare. If you need any support, reach out to me as we offer a range of services to help business leaders increase their impact and influence at the C-level.

All the best,

Warwick

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