Are you prepared to give a presentation to the board of directors? The boardroom is a distinct forum that requires a different approach than your typical meeting—and successfully engaging board members requires more than a polished slide presentation. Here are three techniques to help you command the attention of your company’s most senior leaders.

* Start with a governing thesis. This is a big idea or perspective that captures the main point of the discussion. Leading with a clear, concise message—and supporting it along the way—will engage your audience and demonstrate your leadership chops.

* Present to the whole group—not just the CEO. The board of directors may not be deeply familiar with the organization’s strategic and operational details. Provide some business context where you can and don’t make assumptions about what they know.

* Steer the presentation toward valuable feedback. Instead of concluding remarks that restate your introduction, share two or three important ideas that could benefit from board members’ input. Your goal is to engage them in a discussion to get their validation or critique of your proposed course of action.
This tip is adapted from “3 Ways to Nail Your Presentation to the Board,” by Daniel Casse

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