Preparing Powerful Board Papers (PowerPoint PPTX Slide Deck)

This PPT slide outlines 5 deductive patterns for structuring recommendations in decision-making. The "GOLDEN" pattern focuses on capturing opportunities by taking action "X." The "OH DEAR" pattern emphasizes problem-solving, addressing "Problem Y" with a straightforward recommendation to do "X" for resolution. The "THIS OR THAT" pattern encourages comparative analysis, guiding the audience to select "X" as the superior solution among alternatives. The "TOP UP" pattern highlights the need for additional resources or efforts, indicating success relies on doing "X." Lastly, the "CHANGE TACK" pattern advocates for strategic pivots, reminding that adaptability is essential for achieving desired outcomes. These patterns provide a structured framework for executives to formulate actionable recommendations based on varying circumstances.

This PPT slide discusses the use of hybrid structures to compartmentalize recommendations effectively. A systematic approach enhances clarity in presenting information, utilizing a grouping structure with supporting deductive frameworks to strengthen reasoning behind each option. Key elements include defining the "What," "Why," and addressing the audience's question, "What do you recommend?" The visual representation illustrates breaking down recommendations into actionable components linked to specific actions and reasons, facilitating audience engagement and understanding. This hybrid structure ensures recommendations are compelling and logically sound, serving as a guide for executives to refine presentation skills in high-stakes environments like board meetings.

This PPT slide analyzes Tiger Beer’s operational shortcomings in comparison to industry peers, focusing on distribution costs, production costs, and marketing efforts. Tiger Beer’s distribution costs are 40% higher than competitors like Giraffe Co and Zebra Co, indicating inefficiencies in logistics and supply chain management. Production costs are also a concern, at least 30% higher than leading companies, suggesting issues with production efficiency or scale. In marketing, Giraffe Co spends twice as much and has a larger team, while Zebra Co also invests heavily, raising questions about Tiger Beer’s marketing strategy effectiveness. A thorough review of these operational strategies is essential for enhancing performance and regaining market positioning.

This PPT slide presents a framework for evaluating the logical structure of board papers. A central question prompts assessment of the overall logical soundness, crucial for effective communication of the main message. The framework emphasizes a top-down question-and-answer flow, posing 3 fundamental questions: How? Why? What? These guide the audience in evaluating logical progression and support for the main message. A hierarchical structure illustrates how the main message is reinforced by supporting ideas, enhancing clarity and coherence. A checklist evaluates whether ideas are logically ordered and maintain consistent abstraction levels, ensuring audience comprehension in high-stakes environments like board meetings.

This PPT slide addresses a significant increase in customer complaints, particularly from major clients, indicating a potential risk to customer satisfaction and retention. The complaints are of a type not previously encountered, suggesting a unique issue that requires immediate attention. There are currently no immediate solutions available, highlighting the need for realistic expectations among stakeholders. A new complaints team has been established, though it may lack the experience to manage the sudden influx of issues. The IT team will investigate root causes, while the Sales team focuses on maintaining customer relationships. The Operations team will ensure smooth implementation of necessary upgrades or fixes. Collaboration across departments is essential to effectively resolve customer complaints and restore client confidence.

This PPT slide outlines 4 sections for communicating compliance stories: Section A, "Compliance – All is Well," indicates a positive compliance status and emphasizes transparency in reporting with 2 reasons for compliance. Section B, "Compliance – Top Up," encourages proactive measures to meet compliance requirements, prompting reflection on current status and action steps. Section C, "Compliance – Nike," focuses on enhancing compliance with 3 actionable steps, promoting a commitment to improvement. Section D, "Compliance – Change Tack," acknowledges current compliance levels while identifying additional steps necessary for enhancement. This structured approach guides organizations in assessing compliance and taking actionable steps for improvement.

This PPT slide evaluates the transition of 105 legacy reports into a new case system, requiring a budget decision. Regulatory compliance mandates completion by the end of the financial year, with updated estimates indicating a total transition cost of around $2 million, exceeding the original budget. The executive team faces 2 options: allocate an additional $1.2 million to $2 million over 2 years or renegotiate requirements with regulators. The urgency stems from the infeasibility of completing the transition within the agreed budget. Recommendations include full delivery in the current fiscal year or a phased approach over 2 years, with potential renegotiation involving a reduced number of reports or extensions. The decision involves trade-offs between additional funding and regulatory negotiations.

This PPT slide outlines the challenges of completing 105 regulatory reports within a $2 million budget. Despite thorough budget assessments, the team cannot deliver all reports within the fiscal year. Two options are proposed to address the budget shortfall: spending an additional $1.2 million to $2 million over 2 years, with specific fund allocations, or renegotiating the scope of work with the regulator for flexibility in timelines and deliverables. Four key decisions must be made, including increasing funding, budgeting additional resources, and engaging with the regulator on report prioritization. This decision-making framework is essential for stakeholders to understand strategic choices and their implications.