Are Your Board Materials Highlighting What’s Really Important?

Board materials have long been an issue, from their length to lack of conciseness. What makes this issue one to address with intention is the current competitive, digital and data-driven environment, which leaves less time to make decisions due to the pace of change.

Directors want more strategic emphasis and less operational detail in boardroom prep materials and discussions. Yet, we continue to hear board members express the view that materials they receive for, and in, scheduled meetings are voluminous to the point of obfuscating what’s really important. Various studies make it clear that directors want to read concise, compelling materials, listen to crisp presentations and engage in strategic conversations with management on the topics that matter. Yet, concerns about board materials persist.

So, why does management continue to inundate board members with noncritical information. Could it be the classic lack of understanding the audience? Inability to separate the details from the crux of an issue? A cultural emphasis on transparency, i.e., to provide all available information in the interests of full disclosure, without regard to importance? Or board-facing executives leveraging materials used internally rather than repackaging such materials with intention to present content in a focused and concise manner?