How to Create a Great Presentation for the Board Meeting

Making a compelling presentation for the board meeting is a key tool in cultivating a constructive dialogue and gaining acceptance for your company’s initiatives and financial needs. It’s a great way to show your leadership and expertise to the board.

It is crucial to consider the purpose of your presentation and be clear on what you intend to accomplish by it. You should make your board members feel like they received a lot of benefit from your presentation. This could include discussions about the difficulties and wins of last quarter, or an outline of plans for next quarter or even brainstorming about current blockers to our big, hairy audacious goal (BHAG).

In addition to knowing what you’d like to accomplish from your presentation, it’s also important to know what kind of response you’re expecting from your board. Boards tend to be concerned about several things: long-term risk, value and how your strategies align with the overall strategic direction of the business. If you can address their concerns in the beginning of your presentation and provide them with an understanding of the issues they face they’ll be more likely to be supportive of you and your plans.

Practice your presentation a number of times prior to you present it to the audience. This will help you become more confident and stop you from uttering “um” or falling over your words. You can also solicit feedback from other people after you’ve given your presentation.