Presenting to Boards: Practical Skills for Corporate Presentations
by Julie Garland McLellan
ISBN: 978-1451594065, Publisher: Great Governance, USA, March 2010
Reviewed by: Jim Christie,
Directors and Boards Magazine, Second Quarter 2011
Presenting to a board of directors is not an everyday experience. It is quite a novel experience for most people, even senior executives and highly proficient professionals, to be in the boardroom addressing the board. Board presentations are also highly important, not just because anything that is important enough to be presented to the board is obviously very important, but because making a favorable impression in the boardroom can enhance your career prospects.
Boards are not like any other audience. They are usually senior to the presenter (or at least in a position to hire and fire him or her), informed and opinionated, rarely want to sit still and listen, and are often driven by an agenda to which the presenter is not privy.
The stakes are high; the audience is small enough to interact with the presenter and powerful enough to demand the best from every presentation. Given the importance and strangeness of these presentations it is not surprising that many presenters find them a nerve-wracking experience. However, if you take the time to understand the boardroom audience, there are some simple things that will give your presentation a greater chance of success and give you the chance to excel in the boardroom.