It is important to know what your audience expects when you prepare a presentation for a board meeting. A presentation for the board will provide a. inform them about a topic that is important to business, or. provide information and context to enable them to dig deeper into a specific subject to help them make strategic decisions.

Board members are busy, taking on different roles and responsibilities, all while supporting the growth of their business. They don’t have the time to discuss the specific details of each report or project – and that’s okay! Board meetings are designed for big-picture discussions that impact the goals of the organization as well as its value over the long-term.

This knowledge can help you to move beyond shallow or repetitive reporting and into compelling this storytelling, which can trigger helpful discussions and critical decisions. It also helps to ensure that your audience is comfortable with the language you’re using. For instance, if the Board isn’t familiar with a specific industry or strategy, it’s best not to employ any language that could make them confused.

Consider if you can incorporate humour into your slides before the presentation. It’s essential to consider the room and avoid blabbing out jokes that will not work – particularly when you’re speaking on something like budget cuts or redundancies. Also, be aware of the body language you’re seeing in the room, as 70% to 90% of communication is non-verbal.