This presentation discusses strategies for handling challenging boardroom conversations. It outlines four possible influencing options: rationalizing with logical arguments and compelling data; negotiating to find a win-win solution by assessing what the board will agree to; escalating the issue to let bosses debate it out; or retreating to wait for new data or external factors to change conditions. The goal is to convince the board through rational arguments where possible, but also know when other approaches like negotiating, escalating, or waiting may be more effective.

1. © On Point. Proprietary and confidential. Do not distribute.
Handling challenging Boardroom conversations
Presentation
October 2016

2. © On Point
Possible influencing options
1
1: Rationalise 2: Negotiate 3: Escalate 4: Retreat
Increasing emotional resistance
• Clear storyline &
recommendation
• Logical, compelling
arguments
• Size of prize /
business case
• Factual proof
• Assessing what
they will and
won’t buy into
• Assessing what
data, facts or
market changes
are needed for
them to agree
• Asking them to
talk peer to peer
with someone at
their own level
• Letting your and
their bosses
debate it out
• New data; proven
case study
• Significant drop in
sales/profit
• External backlash
• New CEO
Sometimes you need to…
Convince using: Look for win:win by: Take up the line by: Wait for right conditions:

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at an APM event
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