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How to Present to a Board of Directors
by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
Gail
was the Association Executive when I was president of the National Speakers
Association. We planned the board meetings ahead of time at a health spa
in Palm Springs. We would exercise in the morning, plan in the afternoon.
The tough job for an Association Exec is that they have a new president
every year, and it is really their job to coach the president on how to
make this a productive and fun experience for the year. Some, of course,
don't want to be coached, so you have to do it very subtly. Because we
don't want to cause competition, it is better to not say, "I worked
very well last year with such and such because__." Just say, "Each person
who has been president has brought something to the table."
Gail's
first board meeting: She was just going to stand up and give a presentation.
At three days notice Nido Qubein said, "Put your information on a flip
chart so we can see it better."
In my
speaking I say "People don't remember what you say, they remember what
they see." Which is why we tell stories.
By using
good graphics, the board gets a bigger view of what is going on. After
her first board meeting, she got a standing ovation. Understanding that
presenting to the National Speakers Association Board is tougher than
most because we are all full time speakers. Afterwards, she went to her
room and cried, she was so exhausted and it was so stressful. The point
is: if Nido had not suggested that, she would have just stood up.
Presenting
to a board of directors is very important. You work hard all year, but
they only see you a couple of times a year as a package of everything
you do, a picture of the association and what is really going on. It doesn't
matter how efficient you are; if you do not present your ideas well, you
will be perceived as less efficient.
As Association
Exec you usually get to present first. You should bring all the things
that you are concerned about, what you have been criticized for, as an
association staff and as a whole association, and handle any problems
that you think are going to erupt. The importance of making an ally of
the president, if possible, cannot be overestimated.
One
thing we did at the National Speakers Association in my year has been
very productive. We instituted an idea that if you had a new program idea,
it had to be presented to the staff one month before the board meeting
so they could assess the implication, the cost and staff time. It did
not look like we were being obstinate and trying not to cooperate when
the board got infused with the new program. You have to plan and anticipate.
What was good about Gail and myself working together was we knew the board
from different points of view, and we could share our experiences to consider
and plan.
Idea:
Ann Mahoney, Association Manager, ASAE, they have a leadership issue in
December on working with elected officials, especially presidents working
with the Association Exec. Trish should pitch the idea of me writing something
for that.
Mr.
Lewis Schneider is the Association Executive of the American Society for
Industrial Securities. (703) 522-5800. He has been in his job for eighteen
years and he advises to get in front of your boards and address them as
much as possible. It is a problem if they are not used to your presentation
style, especially if you have bad news about you not making budget for
example. Present as much good news as possible. Secondly, get to know
them, and adapt your style as much as possible to them; if it is casual
group and they wear khaki, don't go in with a blue suit. He has five executive
committees and three board meetings a year, but he also presents at ADHOC
Committees.
NOTE
FROM FRIPP: I encourage everybody to go to the board meeting room
ahead of time. Whether you are a speaker, or in this case a board person
or an association exec, go to the room and get comfortable.
(701
words)
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Patricia Fripp CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based executive
speech coach and award-winnning professional
speaker. She is the author of Get
What You Want!, Make
It, So You Don't Have to Fake It!, and Past-President
of the National
Speakers Association. She can be reached at: PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com
We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Patricia Fripp's name and contact information is included. PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com
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