Issue 6: What NEDs need to hear from Executives in C-Suite Discussions – particularly when the news is not good!

Back to work in 2025 – hear my perspective as a NON Executive Director about the information we receive at Board and C-Suite Meetings.

At the time of the year when we may be confronted by trading and operational news that may not have met expectations, what can we focus upon to make our discussions more productive?

1. How NEDs want to hear unwelcome, or bad, news – as an aside, a great skill of a CFO is knowing how to present bad news, which by the law of averages will be 50% of the time!

2. Clarity and consistency of information – if various NEDs are hearing and seeing the same data and information, BUT drawing different conclusions, then there is a problem with the clarity of the information.

All NEDs should be metaphorically driving out of the office car park at least with the same conclusion!

In general, how Executives engage with NEDs is critical – as NEDs, we may only see Executives for a matter of minutes each month or quarter – those minutes need to count, and count positively!