However, she admits you may run into somebody trying to trick you. “Our job is not to insult or humiliate you,” says Yogendra. “It’s all with good intentions.” Some questions will come from the wrong place Many are taking courses in emerging topics, so they may “poke in places they didn’t before,” Edwards says. Between Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, cyber risks, and more, directors have multiple issues to deal with at once. When directors ask questions, it can feel like they’re out to get you, says Edwards. Women often preface their opinion by saying, “I don’t know if everybody feels this way.” Instead, say, “My research shows this is the situation.” When the board asks questions, don’t panic Also, avoid qualifying your sentences, says Mary Beth Vitale, a longtime director and faculty member for the National Association of Corporate Directors. “Women tend to have less confidence, especially women of color because you’re often one of the few in the room,” says Ononye-Onyia. That is an illustration of diversity.” Don’t add qualifiersĪvoid self-deprecating remarks and apologies-especially if you’re a woman. “If you feel your style doesn’t quite gel with the style of the board, there’s nothing wrong with it. Some people joke around, and others are serious, she adds. Some presenters are storytellers, and some stick to the data, says Shefaly Yogendra, a director on several boards, including the JPMorgan U.S. “I’m a smiler, one of those naturally bouncy people,” she explains, “while the classic female scientist is more cerebral, more thoughtful, more introverted.” What vibe should you bring into the room? Your own, says Ononye-Onyia. “Breathe, concentrate on where you are, and then get back into it.” Be authentic Perhaps it’s, “Just give me a minute while I gather my thoughts,” says Shah. Have a go-to line ready in case of a stumble. It might also be helpful to remind yourself that “if you’re there, you have reason to be there. “Those nerves can be beneficial because it causes you to do the necessary work and preparation to knock it out of the park.” Rich Fields, head of the board effectiveness practice at Russell Reynolds, sees your stage fright as a positive sign. Also, reframe the signs of anxiety in your body-a racing heart, sweaty palms-as manifestations of your excitement. For example, think about something else in the 15 minutes or so before your talk because reviewing your material until the last minute might lead to overthinking and paralysis. Sian Beilock, a cognitive scientist and Barnard College president, has shared brilliant research-backed tips for managing your anxiety. “It’s a different group, and it’s obviously a group that watches the senior executive team to see what is our succession plan and who’s super talented?” says Lisa Edwards, executive chair of Diligent Institute. Don’t ask why you’re nervous when you’ve given dozens of talks. That’s normal. Do not pile on to your anxiety by judging it. You’ve practiced your presentation-for the corporate secretary, your dog, a mirror-and you know your material inside out, but you’re still nervous the day of. Have you seen that in your business? How are you dealing with it?” Normalize your anxiety-or leverage it – Scott White, chair and CEO at Invesque, engages non-executive board members: “I know our net operating income is down in part because of wage growth. Do you want to offer some thoughts on the method we used?” To a CFO, he might say, “We worked with your team to be really thoughtful about how we calculated the ROI on this. – Jeff Wong, global chief innovation officer at EY, will share credit with his fellow executives and invite them to jump in when appropriate. Is there anything you would like me to highlight or any questions I can address in my presentation?” – Shimi Shah, a director for The Royal Mint in the U.K., suggests eliciting questions at the beginning: “I’m going to assume you’ve all read the board book. “Good board meetings are heavy on discussion and less on show-and-tell.” Plan for the conversation you want, says Jocelyn Mangan, founder and CEO of Him for Her and a director at Papa John’s. “Think about the three most critical messages you want to deliver and manage time so that you are not rushed to the point where you’re speaking too quickly or sound incoherent,” says Sophia Ononye-Onyia, a director at Daré Biosciences. Remember, don’t get bogged down with details. Keep it brief and make it a dialogueįirst-time presenters are notorious for overwhelming the board with information, writing long slide decks, and reading from them. Now we’re looking at what happens once you’re in the room. Last week’s newsletter discussed the prep work before a board presentation.
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