Depending on your level in the organization, presenting to the Board of Directors can be an anxiety-inducing event. In my various roles as President and Chief Marketing Officer, I had presented to our Board numerous times. However, my direct reports had not previously experienced this unique opportunity. When our Board eventually decided to come to our west coast office for a business update, it was finally time for the senior marketing team to get their shot.
The chairman and I agreed on the agenda ahead of time so that everyone would be prepared. Fortunately, I had a great team of VP executives who knew their business inside and out and were well versed in the power point presentations so prevalent at our company. However, presenting to the Board was still a BIG DEAL to them. Two of my vice presidents came to me privately to ask for advice on how to present most effectively.
Not surprisingly, I spent much of my time calming their nerves and assuring them they would do fine. We also discussed the importance of staying at the right level of detail in their presentations. As you move up in large organizations, most senior executives and board members want the strategic highlights. They want to understand what you are aiming for; why you’ve chosen a specific path to get there; and how you’re measuring success along the way.
If you open a door to tactical discussion, more often than not, executives will gladly walk in and begin questioning every minor detail. This is not a good use of everyone’s time. Therefore, don’t open up the door. Practice your presentation several times and stay focused on your content. By practicing exactly what you are going to say for each slide before key presentations, you will gain the confidence that you are in control. It will also give you the intellectual liberty to contribute your opinion on other topics that arise rather than mentally reviewing your presentation during the meeting.
Our meeting with the Board ultimately turned out to be very successful. Each vice president did an outstanding job presenting their business in spite of several curveballs thrown at them regarding business issues outside the agenda. They succeeded because they were well prepared on the core content. This allowed them to relax and easily shift to other issues without losing a beat. In the end, success favors the well prepared.