How to Prepare a Presentation for the Board Meeting
It’s important to know what your audience’s expectations are when preparing a speech for the board meeting. A typical presentation for the board’s meeting is designed to: a) keep them informed about a key area of business; or b) provide information and context that allows them to go deeper into a specific subject to help them make strategic decisions.
Board members are busy, taking on multiple roles and responsibilities all while helping to ensure the success of their company. It’s not expected of them to discuss every detail of every report or project – and that’s acceptable! Board meetings are for big-picture discussions that will affect the organization’s goals and impact over the long-term.
This knowledge can help you to move beyond shallow or repetitive reporting and move to compelling storytelling, which can trigger helpful discussions and critical decisions. It’s also important to ensure that your audience understands the language you use. For example when they have no familiarity with a certain industry or approach, it is recommended to not use any language.
Consider incorporating humor into your slides prior to the presentation. It’s crucial to be aware of the room and not roll out jokes that may not work – particularly when you’re speaking on the subject of budget cuts or redundancies. Also, be aware of the body language you see in the room, since 70% to 90% of communication is non-verbal.