Board paperwork: How to move from clutter to clarity

Good governance is not a paper chase. It is a purpose chase. If your board packs feel like a haystack and the truth is the needle, DSC’s Good Governance Conference is designed to help you find the needle fast.

And this article is to give you a flavour of the sorts of things I’ll be talking about at the conference: how to make the business of providing paperwork to the board less busy and more impactful, and how to move from clutter to clarity.

Trustees and senior leaders tell me the same story. Executives spend days assembling myriad different papers, that all look different, and with cryptic titles so no-one is entirely sure what it is they’re supposed to pay attention to.

This is the sort of paperwork that trustees skim on the train or arrive hoping for the best. Everyone leaves tired, not wiser. The problem is simple. We confuse paperwork with information.

Paperwork records what exists. Information reveals what matters.

We need to start by asking ourselves – what are we trying to achieve with this information, is it the right information, and what is the best way to share it? That mindset shift turns governance from noise into signal. If we’re clear about what the board needs to know and understand, we’ll get more robust and high level discussion and better decisions.

During the upcoming Good Governance Conference, we’ll tackle the bad habits that keep boards stuck. Things like doing what has always been done. Producing updates that belong in an email, not a meeting. Catering to one person’s pet topic instead of the board’s shared purpose. Gathering papers to feel safe, when safety actually comes from insight, not volume.

We’ll talk about thinking like an astronaut, not a deep sea diver. How trustees need the overview effect. To see the whole picture, the trends, the risks ahead, not every bottom dwelling slug or odd-looking bit of seaweed.

We’ll talk about how to build the one piece of paperwork that truly shapes impact: a purposeful agenda. One which shows what is for discussion, what is for alignment, how long each item needs, and the decision you are moving toward.

Language matters. We’ll talk about how to frame items for perspectives and alignment, not for agreement that forces people to pick a side and thereby create winners and losers.

We will talk about practical reports that boards actually read. Short, focussed, high level – rich in visuals, trends and impact stories. A clear CEO summary, one page, legible font. We’ll talk about how to present financial information in a way that tells a narrative about viability and cash, not a labyrinth of spreadsheet cells.

We’ll explore smarter channels and mechanisms for sharing. Things like short updates between meetings via email or agreed platforms, with clarity about where to put what.

And we will reimagine minutes so they become a dependable compass. A summary of what was discussed, what was decided, and who will do what by when. A simple action table closes the loop and opens accountability.

The conference is for trustees, chairs, CEOs and senior teams who want meetings that move the mission. Join us. Cut the clutter. Choose information at the right level, at the right time, in the right format. As one trustee told me, “ When we changed the way we shared information we stopped reading more and started seeing more.”

Let that be your story too.

Note: My next book, a speed read on Board Paperwork is published – order your copy here.

Join the conversation at It’s a Battle on the Board – Why Good Governance Matters Conference

If this blog resonated with you, don’t miss DSC’s upcoming online conference, It’s a Battle on the Board – Good Governance Matters, taking place on Thursday 23 October.

Whether you’re a trustee, CEO, or part of a leadership team, this event dives deep into the very challenges explored here, from unspoken conflict and fractured trust to building a culture of openness and alignment. You’ll gain practical tools, real-life insights, and the chance to learn from others who’ve faced similar governance battles and come out stronger.

Because good governance isn’t just about policies and procedures, it’s about people, relationships, and having the courage to face the hard stuff together.

Book your place now and be part of the change.