Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Board Reports

Your board report will keep the board members informed of the most important events that have transpired since the last board meeting. A clear and well-written board report can boost the performance of your organization and assist to deliver the best results to your customers.

The creation of a highly effective board report that your stakeholders will appreciate is a challenge for many businesses. A poorly written report can cause confusion, ineffective decision making, and a lack clarity about the direction of your company. Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your reports to the board are effective and efficient.

Not incorporating a thorough executive summary Executive summary is an essential element of your board report. It gives the context and key takeaways for each slide in your report to allow your board members to quickly comprehend and absorb the information you’ve provided.

Only presenting positive news: Only presenting positive news in your reports to the board is misleading to the board and could influence their decision-making significantly. A good board report is honest and includes both successes and failures to provide a comprehensive fair and balanced evaluation.

Failure to include committee reports by not mentioning the status of different committees in your report, you will keep your board members updated on the latest developments as well as any issues that might arise.

Neglecting to use visuals Board members are more likely to read and interact with your board Boardable report if it includes tables, infographics and images. Visual information is processed more efficiently by the brain than text on its own. Include some type of visualization in your board reports.