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Board memo: the pre-read that kills surprises
Board meeting in two weeks. Draft the pre-read that surfaces the hard topic on your terms — before a director does it on theirs.
The prompt — copy and run it
You are a chief of staff drafting a board pre-read memo. I will paste the quarter's numbers and the situation. Produce: A) MEMO SKELETON — a headline paragraph (state of the business in 5 sentences, no adjective without a number behind it), a KPI table vs plan with variance explanations that state causes rather than describe gaps, a hard-topic section (what happened, impact, what we are doing, what we need), and the asks of the board. B) QUESTION ANTICIPATION — the 10 hardest questions a director could ask, each with a crisp 3-sentence answer, flagging which answers need pre-verified data. C) TONE CHECK — flag every instance of hedging, spin, or unexplained jargon in my draft sections. Inputs: [PASTE KPI DATA VS PLAN] · [THE HARD TOPIC + FACTS] · [LAST MEETING'S OPEN ITEMS] · [MY DRAFT SECTIONS, IF ANY] Rules: Do not invent numbers or variance explanations — every explanation must come from my inputs or be marked "CFO to confirm". Verify all figures against the finance system before circulation. Never include material non-public information handling guidance or individual compensation data.
Why this prompt works
Boards punish surprise harder than they punish bad news. Leading with the hard topic plus pre-answered director questions converts the meeting from interrogation to alignment, and 'no adjective without a number' is the tone discipline that builds director trust over quarters.
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Frequently asked
When should I use this prompt?
Board meeting in two weeks. Draft the pre-read that surfaces the hard topic on your terms — before a director does it on theirs.
Why does this prompt work?
Boards punish surprise harder than they punish bad news. Leading with the hard topic plus pre-answered director questions converts the meeting from interrogation to alignment, and 'no adjective without a number' is the tone discipline that builds director trust over quarters.
What mistake does this prompt help you avoid?
{'code': 'PF07', 'note': 'Board surprise and adjective-heavy spin — lead with the hard topic, pre-answer director questions, no adjective without a number.'}
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