Leading Decision Board Meetings

1. Leading Decision Board Meetings

2. A series of decision board meetings informs decision makers, seeks input, and builds commitment. Decision Board • The primary objectives of a meeting are to promote insightful dialogue about the decision problem and to lodge key insights in the audience’s memory. • A successful meeting furthers progress on the decision problem and increases the decision-makers’ confidence in the process and the team. Evaluated Alternatives Frame Alter-natives Plan Project Team 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

3. Conference Table Setup:For a smaller group U-Shape Setup:Encourages participant dialogue Pace-changing position for defusing conflict or resuming control Power position for leadership control Power position for leadership control Sideline position for reduced control with audience interaction Room setup and facilitation logistics help put the meeting on track. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

4. In planning materials, emphasize dialogue over presentation. Your media includes: • Slides, flip charts, white boards • Backup materials • A way to capture ideas Example Timing 40% presentation 60% dialogue • Notebooks and other handouts • Your discussion, examples,questions, and other comments. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

5. Dsaj saiejhhj reimk rieo iooioho;ij to flempe rpie ejinma jfie oeiotipwe nklak kortir. A good presentation style makes the material come alive and increases retention. • Mix prepared slides with informal anecdotes and stories. • Emphasize important messages (repeat, “flag,” do the unexpected, show a picture, involve the audience*). • Avoid distracting mannerisms—e.g., waving your hands, “fencing” with the pointer, twirling a pen. • Maintain eye contact with members of the audience. *Source: Munter, Guide to Presentations 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

6. A good presenter engages the audience to gather information and build commitment. Encourage dialogue by: • Addressing questions to specific participants—“Mary, how does that forecast square with your information?” • Clarifying participant questions—“Juan, are you asking howmarketing was involved in this?” • Getting everyone involved—“Albert, can you please elaborate on how we involved your marketing staff?” • (As a last resort) Asking for any other questions—“What are your questions?” “Alice, howdid Salesuse thesefigures?” Dsaj saiejhhj reimk rieo iooioho;ij to flempe rpie ejinma jfie oeiotipwe nklak kortir. “We increasedproduction tomeet demand.” Presenters set the tone for credibility, clarity, and exchange with their styles. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

7. Prevents blocking views Keeps everyone’s focus up on screen not down on the projector Unifies group attention Lets you use your hand, not a pointer, to direct attention Permits your free movement (but avoid pacing) Stand close to the screen, not close to the projector. Acommon focus unifiesthe group’s attention. Talk to the audience, not to the screen.Be the presenter, not the screen. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

8. Anticipate and recognize disagreements. • Our purpose is to guide productive dialogue, not to dazzle the board with our brilliance. • Productive dialogue will containmoments of disagreement. • Be positive; try to establish a “Mutual Learning Model.*” • Inquire into participants’ views. • Understand the thinking behind each view. • Discuss differences of opinion. • Seek common ground. * Adapted from Argyris & Schön, Theory in Practice. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

9. When you make a mistake or do not know the answer… • A high-up member of the audience points out that “your estimate for fixed cost is ten times higher in this presentation than in your presentation three weeks ago. What happened?” What do you do now? • If you do not know, say, “I don’t know. I’ll find out and get back to you.” • If you do know and it was your fault, say, “I made a mistake last month.” • If it was someone else’s fault, say, “We made a mistake last month.” Above all, never lie, blame someone else, or waste meeting time trying to figure out the answer. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

10. When possible, have a Meeting Recorder to organize the group memory while you lead the discussion. • The role of the Meeting Recorder is to: • Capture the key points in the discussion – not every statement! • Keep ideas organized, concise and clear. • Help with practical issues – such as keeping track of time, distributing documents, etc. • When appropriate, project what is being recorded so all participants can see it. • Word outline is a clear format for recording 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

11. Top 10 ReasonsWhy the Decision Board Meeting Failed 10. We talked the whole time; the Board listened politely. 9. We took a break every four hours. 8. The room was dark; everyone slept. 7. We skipped the storyboard, and the presentation lacked balance. 6. Our great analysis seemed to confuse the CEO. 5. We antagonized everyone and seemed to lose their commitment. 4. Half the board was at a meeting in Munich. 3. The board didn’t see it our way. 2. We finished the analysis at 5:30 a.m. and presented at 8:00 a.m. • Everyone had a good time, but there was no dialogue. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

12. Appendix 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

13. Pros Cons Before After Determine how material should be displayed for impact and variety. • Laptop and projector? One screen or two? • Flip chart / white board? • Handouts? Before or after? • Take notes • Refer back • Distraction • - Browsing • - Looking ahead • Participants’ full attention during briefing • Presenter can modify handout • Can’t take notes and refer back • How will you capture ideas? • Will you need to “mark up” your materials with audience comments? 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

14. Cover each slide completely, but do not read the slide! • Guide the audience through each slide to highlight critical information. • When giving a presentation someone else has prepared, follow the logic and flow of the document, not your preferred ordering or logic. • When in doubt, or if your mind goes blank, the safest course of action is to read the slide and keep moving forward. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

15. When presenting a graph, follow a counterclockwise inward motion. This can be very natural—“This point is illustrated by this graph, which displays sales as a function of time. You will note that sales jumped when....” • Read the title. Sales 5 • Read the caption for the vertical axis. 4 3 $ millions 2 • Read the caption for the horizontal axis. 1 0 • Explain the significance of the plot. 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2006 Year 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

16. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, … • Wounded Rabbit Syndrome • Amicable presenter turns defensive and vicious when pushed into a corner by the audience Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, … • Unending Discourse • Fills up silence • Destroys audience concentration • Emotional Mirror • Visually displaysdiscomfort or fearwhen things getcontentious or muddled • Makes the audienceworry even morebecause the presenterlooks nervous, too The one wayto economicsalvation is … That’soversimplifiedand off the mark. • Arrogance • Treats audience concerns as insignificant, irrelevant, or simplistic • Destroys credibility • Preaching • Sounds like a sermon not requiringaudience input • Professes tohave the truth Avoid these failure modes when presenting and leading a decision board meeting. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings

17. Communication between facilitator and meeting recorder should be seamless. • Discuss meeting specifics beforehand (e.g., agenda, logistics, jargon, personalities). • Make frequent eye contact. • Repeat or rephrase the information that is to be recorded. • Don’t outrun the Meeting Recorder’s ability to keep up. • Preface your statements, if necessary, as a signal to the MR. • “Let’s capture that.” • “Can you restate that so we can get it recorded?” • Do not whisper to the MR. • Participants will feel shut out. • The MR may not be able to understand you. 2.06 • Leading Decision Board Meetings