Board members have a lot on their plate, and they’re expected to make key decisions. It’s crucial to https://boardroomlife.com/introduction-to-virtual-board-meetings/ convey the key business information of your business in an engaging, clear manner. This article will walk you through the best practices for writing a great board report.
Begin with an executive overview. This is the sauce to tie everything together to your audience who is time-poor. It will give them a taste of what’s in store, and why they should invest the time to read through the full report.
The core of your report is next. Include key metrics and data relevant to your company, such as the ones that are compared to industry benchmarks. Highlight any milestones and achievements that the company has reached and any challenges that are affecting the company’s future performance. Don’t forget to highlight any projects in the near future that require approval of the board or financial backing.
You should also include any high-level risk or opportunity statements the company has identified and the potential impact they could have. You should present them in a manner that is compatible with the board’s tolerance to risk.
You should end with your main takeaways, and a clear statement on the next steps your company must take. The purpose of the paper for the board will determine the contents. It may be to inform the board, or more frequently, to ask for a decision. This will determine the format of the whole report, for example, whether you need a table of contents, clear headings, and bullet points to convey your key messages.