Three quick tips for presenting to the board
- 15 June, 2012 14:45
- Comments
How do I effectively communicate with my leadership-level peers?
Always plan your communication; never wing it. Planning helps you be purposeful and increase your chances of achieving the results you seek. Take five minutes to plan your message with a few simple steps. First: Determine your high-level business outcome. Next: Consider your audience and where they're coming from. The more you know about someone, the better you can influence them and move them to action. Then: Choose the right method to communicate. I recommend face-to-face or voice-to-voice when possible because you get immediate feedback. Finally: Know what you'll do if your time is cut short. If you have half an hour for your meeting, be ready to present in 15 or even 5 minutes.
Sometimes send a fact sheet in advance of an important conversation, especially when detailed information is critical to making an informed decision. This is especially important for CEOs who make decisions based more on facts than feelings. Also, there are times when an outside perspective is valuable to build your case. Often a consultant can deliver a tough message more easily.
Never make things up. The higher you get in an organization, the more you need truth tellers around you, and the fewer there are. There's great power and credibility in honesty. And never delay, holding out for absolutely all the information--especially when delivering bad news. By then it will be too late. Someone is going to fill the communication vacuum with their messaging instead of yours, and you'll be on the defensive.
David Grossman is CEO of The Grossman Group, a strategic leadership development and internal communication consultancy.
Read more about cio role in CIO's CIO Role Drilldown.
Recommended
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.
- Bookmark this page
- Share this article
- Got more on this story? Email CIO
- Follow CIO on twitter
-
Why change management doesn’t work
-
Larry Page wants to see your medical records
-
Dual-Persona Smartphones Not a BYOD Panacea
-
After two-year hiatus, EFF accepts bitcoin donations again
-
CIOs struggle to deliver timely mobile business apps: survey
-
Choice and Control – Considerations for Developing Enterprise Cloud Strategies
Enterprise-wide cloud implementation can be a challenging process, requiring a thoughtful, strategic approach. In this whitepaper, IBM® shares considerations for developing enterprise cloud strategies. It looks into how the rapid-scale enterprise-class environment can help enable the type of agile infrastructure that aids organisations in quickly meeting the demands of an ever-evolving marketplace, thereby providing true business value. Read now. -
Managing the Rapid Rise in Database Growth: 2011 IOUG Survey on Database Manageability
As the era of “Big Data” marches on unabated, data is coming from an ever wider range of sources, including transactional systems, mobile devices, sensors, streaming media, and social networks. Businesses are looking for innovative ways to better leverage terabytes—and for some, petabytes—of information. Read more. -
BYOD and Beyond - Implementing a Unified Access Solution
The rise of BYOD programs is the single most radical shift in the economics of client computing for business since PCs invaded the workplace. Whether you are contemplating the creation of a BYOD program or currently trying to establish one, this fact cannot be overstated. Find out how to overcome these challenges.
Get exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis. 
