The boardroom communication framework

 

I sat through hundreds of Board meetings as a partner at KPMG.

And I watched the same thing happen again and again.

A senior, capable person walks into their slot, opens with "I'll just quickly take you through the work we've done…" and within two minutes, they've lost the room.

Their work is usually good. That's not the problem.

The problem is that Boards don't listen the way most presenters assume.

They're not there for the story. They're scanning for signals:

❓ What's the risk?
❓ Are you on top of it?
❓ What do you actually think?
❓ Do I need to worry?

That's what's running through their heads while you're walking them through your team’s work.

The first minute does most of the heavy lifting.

After that, they're scanning for inconsistencies and signs you're unsure.

Miss your message in the first minute and you spend the rest of the slot recovering.

I built a structure for the leaders I coach.

(It's been battle tested at major financial services companies.)

It’s called CRISP:

✅ Conclusion – lead with the headline

The Board wants your answer before your working.

✅ Risk – name it early

If you bury it, they'll assume you're hiding it, or aren’t aware of it.

✅ Interpretation – give your view, not just the data

They can read numbers themselves.

✅ Signal – tell them where this is heading

Because they're deciding whether to worry or not.

✅ Plan – show that you’ve got it under control

Close the loop on what you're doing about it.

The full process is on the infographic.

Try it before your next Board meeting.

Write one or two sentences for each CRISP element, then time yourself.

You should have a few minutes to present, then let them ask questions.

📌 Save this for your next Board slot

https://tinyurl.com/ynw5z92e

The audience growth framework

 

Most people think audience growth starts when you publish.

It doesn't:

It starts long before anyone sees your content.

Every creator wants more followers, engagement, but those are outcomes.
Not strategies.

The creators who build audiences that actually lead to opportunities rarely chase numbers.

They build systems.

The first step isn't writing better posts.

It's understanding exactly who you're trying to help.

The more specific your audience becomes, the more your content starts feeling personal.

People don't share content because it was written well.

They share it because they feel like it was written for them.

Once that's clear, your job becomes surprisingly simple.

Show up with useful ideas.

Not every day because someone told you to.

Consistently enough that people begin expecting value when they see your name.

Trust isn't created by one brilliant post.

It's created by hundreds of small promises kept over time.

That's why consistency matters.

Not because the algorithm rewards it.

Because people do.

Then comes the part most creators overlook.

Conversation.

Too many people treat publishing like the finish line.

In reality, it's the starting line.

The strongest communities are built one conversation at a time.

Eventually something interesting happens.

People stop discovering you because of a single post.

They start hearing about you from other people.

That's when growth starts compounding.

Not because your content changed overnight.

Because trust became transferable.

The final step isn't getting attention.

It's helping people do something with the attention you've earned.

When people leave your content better than they arrived, they rarely forget you.

One mistake I see constantly is creators measuring success with the wrong scoreboard.

Followers.

Views.

Likes.

Those numbers feel exciting.

But they don't always tell the truth.

The metrics that matter most are harder to see.

Are better conversations happening?

Are people returning?

Are they recommending you without being asked?

Are opportunities increasing?

That's real audience growth.

Because an audience isn't a collection of followers.

It's a group of people who trust your thinking enough to keep coming back.

The internet rewards attention.

Businesses are built on trust.

The creators who understand that difference are the ones still growing years from now while everyone else is chasing the next algorithm update.

Focus less on becoming famous.

Focus more on becoming consistently useful.

The audience will follow.

Which part of audience growth do you think people underestimate the most?

https://tinyurl.com/mu5rtu6

The rooms where people speak

 

People do not stop having ideas.

They stop paying the price of raising them.

That price is set in the room, and it is usually set in the first ninety seconds.

Watch for it. Someone starts with "this might be a stupid question." Someone else gets interrupted at the halfway point of their sentence and does not go back to finish it. The most senior person in the room states a position before anyone else has spoken, and everything that follows is now a response to it rather than a contribution.

Then the real conversation happens in the corridor, and you never hear it.

Psychological safety is not a feeling you generate. It is a structure you design.

Which is where most executive teams get stuck. They try to solve it with warmth. More reassurance, more encouragement, more "there are no bad ideas here." Warmth helps, but it is personality-dependent, so it disappears the moment that leader is not in the room.

Structure does not.

Structure looks like deciding, deliberately, who speaks first, and making it the person with the least positional power. It looks like separating the meeting where ideas are generated from the meeting where they are judged, because the two cannot share a room and both survive. It looks like the leader stating their view last, on purpose, every time.

None of that requires anyone to be braver. That is the point. You should not be running an organisation that needs its junior people to be brave in order for you to hear the truth.

The one change worth making this week is the smallest one. In your next leadership meeting, speak last. Not as a technique. As a standing rule.

What is the last good idea your organisation did not hear, and where in the room did it die?

https://tinyurl.com/2t8knmf9

Poor Communication is Holding You Back, Try This

 

You might be in a poor communication loop where -

You don't know what's happening.

You react instead of respond.

You're unsure of roles.

You lack feedback.

You're confused.

Where does this lead?

Nowhere.

Poor communication costs time, money, and relationships.

40% of performance differences stem from communication breakdowns (McKinsey & Company)

So, how can we step out of the loop?

The What, Why, and How

1. Clear Communication

   • What it is: Being straightforward and easy to understand in your messaging.

   • Why it is important: Clear communication ensures that everyone is on the same page and reduces misunderstandings.

   • How to improve: Use simple words and avoid jargon. Before sending a message, ask yourself if it’s easy for anyone to understand.

2. Concise Messaging

   • What it is: Delivering your message in a brief and to-the-point manner.

   • Why it is important: Concise messaging saves time and helps maintain the audience’s attention.

   • How to improve: Focus on the core message. Remove any unnecessary details or redundant words.

3. Concrete Information

   • What it is: Providing specific and tangible details in your communication.

   • Why it is important: Concrete information makes your message credible and actionable.

   • How to improve: Use examples or data to support your points. Avoid vague statements.

4. Correctness

   • What it is: Ensuring accuracy and correctness in your communication.

   • Why it is important: Correct information builds trust and prevents confusion.

   • How to improve: Double-check facts and figures before sharing. Use spell check tools to avoid errors.

5. Coherent Structure

   • What it is: Organizing your message in a logical and orderly way.

   • Why it is important: Coherent structure helps your audience follow and understand your points easily.

   • How to improve: Outline your message before writing. Ensure each part connects well to the next.

6. Complete Content

   • What it is: Including all necessary information in your message.

   • Why it is important: Complete content prevents the need for follow-up questions and ensures the audience has everything they need.

   • How to improve: Check if your message answers the who, what, where, when, why, and how. Make sure no key details are missing.

7. Courteous Tone

   • What it is: Communicating in a respectful and considerate manner.

   • Why it is important: A courteous tone fosters a positive environment and strengthens relationships.

   • How to improve: Use polite language and acknowledge others’ efforts. Avoid negative or harsh words.

8. Feedback and Adjustment

   • What it is: Seeking feedback on your communication and making necessary adjustments.

   • Why it is important: Feedback helps you improve and ensures your message is received as intended.

   • How to improve: Regularly ask for feedback from colleagues. Be open to suggestions and willing to make changes.

Clear Communication

My team was working on a project with a tight deadline. Everyone was working hard, but we kept running into the same problem: misunderstandings about tasks.

One day, a team member missed an important detail in the project brief, causing a major delay. This happened more than once, and it was clear that our communication wasn't working well.

I decided we needed to focus on more clear communication.

Here’s how we tackled the issue:

Simplified Messages

I started by making our project updates more simple. Instead of long emails, we used bullet points and short sentences. We made sure each update only included what was necessary.

Direct Communication

I encouraged team members to ask directly if they were unsure about any task. We used brief, clear questions and answers to avoid confusion.

Regular Check-ins

We set up short (10 min or less) daily stand-up meetings where everyone could quickly share their progress and ask questions. This way, any unclear points were addressed immediately.

Clarified Expectations

At the start of each new task, I outlined exactly what needed to be done, by whom, and by when. I avoided vague language and made sure to be specific about our goals and steps.

By making our communication clear, we not only met our deadlines but also worked more efficiently and reduced stress.

Here's how you can make it real over the next 4 days:

Day 1: Observe and Reflect

• Choose one of the 7 C lessons you want to work on this week.

• Notice how you usually communicate in emails, meetings, or chats.

  • Do you tend to use long sentences?

  • Are you often unclear or vague?

  • How do others respond to you?

• Write down a few notes about what you observe.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "Today I want to improve my [chosen lesson]. How can I observe and take notes on my current communication style to better understand what I need to work on?”

Day 2: Simplify Your Next Message

• Take a message you need to send and simplify it.

• Whether it's an email, a report, or a quick chat, rewrite it using more simple words and shorter sentences.

• Cut out any unnecessary details.

• Aim to make it as clear and to the point as possible.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "Today I want to practice simplifying my [chosen lesson] in a message. Help me rewrite this [email/report/chat] to make it clearer and more to the point."

Day 3: Ask for Feedback

• Share a piece of communication and ask for feedback.

• Pick an email or a note you’ve written and ask a colleague to review it.

  • Ask them if it’s clear and easy to understand.

  • Do they see any points that could be better explained or simplified?

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "I need to ask a colleague for feedback on my [chosen lesson]. How should I ask them to review my communication and what specific questions can I ask to get useful feedback?"

Day 4: Apply What You’ve Learned

• Use what you’ve learned over the past few days in your next communication.

• Take your notes from Day 1, the simplified approach from Day 2, and the feedback from Day 3.

• Apply these insights to a new message or conversation today.

• Try to be more clear, more concise, or more accurate, depending on your chosen lesson.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "I want to use everything I’ve learned this week to improve my [chosen lesson]. Guide me on how to apply these changes to a new message or conversation today."

Communication is the heart of every successful team.

Our words have the power to unite or divide, build or break.

Clear and concise messages cut through confusion and inspire action.

Being respectful and accurate earns us the trust of our peers.

Bottom line: Better communication = better results.

Unlock the potential of every conversation.

Until next week and with lots of love,

Justin

This Week’s Growth Recommendations

Book To Read:

"Effective Public Relations" by Scott M. Cutlip and Allen H. Center (see it here)

TED Talk to Watch

"10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation” by Celeste Headlee (see it here)

https://tinyurl.com/mpjrupje