How to Write an Executive Summary for a Board Report

All organizations operate in their own unique ways, and there’s truly no one-size-fits-all solution to writing an executive summary for a board report. In addition to this guide, consider studying executive summary examples online, and consult other board administrators in your network.

In short, a good executive summary concisely summarizes the report’s background, core findings and methods, as well as proposed solutions and actions you want the board to endorse.

Make sure to carefully review the complete board report, then condense it to one page, typically around 400 words. 

Consider these tips to write a good executive summary.

1. Prep your executive summary: You might feel exhausted from putting together your board report, but you can’t cut corners when you write an executive summary. Just remember, the executive summary serves as the most critical component of the entire report, and larger board meeting. It might be the only page some board members read. Give yourself ample time to comb through the full report, then identify the purpose of the report, key questions to address at the board meeting, proposed solutions to solve organizational challenges, and suggested actions you want each board member to take. 
2. Define the purpose: Start the executive summary by outlining the core goals and objectives of the report, including the reasoning and timing for each. The purpose might be to bring the board up to speed on a specific project, obtain the board’s input, approve funding for new initiatives or new hires, or vote to add or remove members from the board. If you simply want the board to approve a request, consider leading with the proposal. For example, “This report requests the board to approve two hires to support the marketing team.”
3. Identify key questions: To run an effective board meeting, you want the group to focus on three to five mission-critical objectives. Each point or question you address in the executive summary should exactly match the structure of the full board report, so members can quickly jump to the corresponding section if they need further information.
4. Propose solutions and actionable next steps: As the board administrator you need to clearly explain the proposed solutions to each of the questions, articulate the specific actions you want the board to take, and explain how the proposed solutions benefit the organization. Make sure to consider the motivations of each board member. For example, the Chief Technology Officer will be motivated by actions that make the organization safer from security threats or breaches, while the Chief Financial Officer wants to see solutions to save on operational costs and maximize profits.
5. Simplify the process with board management software: More and more boards now run their meetings with all-in-one board management software to streamline efficiencies, enhance collaboration, reduce costs and manual processes, and optimize all facets of their virtual, hybrid, and in-person meetings. Specifically, when it comes to executive summaries, a board management solution allows administrators to quickly make real-time updates to the executive summary and larger board report, without needing to reprint board books. It not only saves time and reduces stress, and saves money on paper and printing costs because all of your board’s materials live in the cloud.
6. Proof your executive summary: Don’t overlook the crucial step of proofreading your executive summary (and full board report) before presenting to the board. Aside from missing an embarrassing typo or mistake, you need to ensure all financial records, legal language, as well as your proposed solutions are all accurate and up-to-date. Again, a board management system simplifies the process, and eliminates the stress of needing to make last-minute updates or reprinting bulky board books.