Effective Board Papers….It’s as Simple as E=mc2!

The best way to do that, of course, is to provide them with comprehensive information…but presented in terms and language that is clear and easy to understand. And as decisions can have lasting positive or negative impacts, every impact on the company needs to be considered. As I say, this is particularly pertinent to separate board “Matters for Decision” papers, from “Matters for Strategic Discussion” and “Matters for Noting/Information” papers, the troika of the board pack of papers. But let’s not confuse comprehensive with verbose, as another golden rule is that in just about all cases barring the odd exception, “Matters for Decision” papers should be no more than three pages in length. If you need to provide background information, that’s fine, but it should be marked clearly as such and attached to a three-page “standalone” summary.