“A board is only as good as its board papers!” declared a frustrated non-executive director, overwhelmed by the sheer volume and disorder of the documents landing in his inbox before every meeting.

High-quality information is the lifeblood of a board. Without it, even the most experienced directors will struggle to make sound decisions. Yet, inadequate board papers remain a persistent source of frustration for directors and C-suite executives alike.

Common complaints include: too little information to make informed decisions; too much information, burying key issues under a mountain of detail; irrelevant or poorly organised content; papers that skew data to favour certain interests; and information arriving too late for proper consideration.

Given the central role of boards in decision-making, why do these issues persist? The answer lies in the quality of intelligence behind the papers. The best board packs stand out because they function as intelligence products, rather than mere collections of data. They are:

1. Relevant and contextualised.
2. Future-focused in their analysis.
3. Presented in a concise, digestible format.

1. Relevant content, contextualised

Many board packs contain an overwhelming amount of data. It is not unusual to see documents running into hundreds of pages. But volume is not the issue. The problem is relevance.

Intelligence-driven board papers focus on the information that truly matters. They provide data that has been verified, filtered, and assessed for completeness. This may sound like common sense, but in practice, it requires clear decision-making on what to include and what to leave out.

The board itself should take the lead in defining its information needs, ideally in advance. The chair and company secretary play a crucial role in ensuring the papers provide the right data, even when specific requests have not been made.

Equally important is avoiding the trap of ‘just-in-case’ information. Not all historical data remains relevant. Every board meeting should prompt a reassessment of what details are necessary, ensuring discussions remain focused.

Another major issue is incomplete or biased information. Sometimes, crucial details are omitted, either by oversight or intent. Unverified data, blind spots, and biases can mislead the board, resulting in poor decisions.

The chair and company secretary must act as gatekeepers, ensuring that every piece of information is properly vetted and presented within the right context.

Without context, information becomes a distraction rather than an asset. Each director interprets the data through their own experiences, which can lead to misalignment, even on seemingly minor issues.

Benchmarking against industry peers, past situations, or regulatory standards should be a disciplined part of every board pack.

As one highly respected chair put it: “Information without context is just pretext.” Intelligence-driven scrutiny ensures that board papers capture the significance of the topics at hand with clear facts and supporting evidence.

2. Future-oriented content analysis

Every board decision, no matter how immediate, shapes the future of the organisation. And yet, too many board packs focus solely on the present.

Good board papers explain where the company stands today. Great board papers anticipate what’s coming next.

Merely presenting facts and figures without forward-looking analysis shifts the responsibility of future thinking onto the board. But spending valuable time speculating without an evidence base is not just inefficient—it is outright dangerous.

Seasoned intelligence analysts excel at identifying scenarios and assessing their probabilities.

Intelligence-driven board papers adopt a similar approach, offering insight into potential futures, even those that may be difficult to anticipate.

Rather than presenting static reports, intelligence-driven board packs outline how key issues could evolve based on specific variables or market drivers. The best ones use a mix of critical and lateral thinking to highlight trends, offer scenario analysis, and provide an evidence trail to support different projections.

A board with an intelligence mindset actively engages with this process. It challenges assumptions, tests reasoning, and refines insights to add value to the final decision.

A well-crafted intelligence product helps the board avoid the classic mistake of crafting one ‘grand strategy’ based on a single expected future—a future that rarely unfolds as predicted.

Boards dominated by a single, powerful voice are particularly at risk of ignoring uncertainty. Intelligence-based board papers provide a crucial counterbalance, ensuring a range of possibilities are considered before committing to a strategic direction.

3. A synthetic, easily assimilated format

Producing a 500-page board pack is tedious, but not difficult. The real challenge lies in synthesising that information into something concise, digestible and actionable.

Drowning board members in excessive detail does not make them better informed. In fact, the opposite is true. Faced with hundreds of pages of raw data, even the most diligent director will skim-read, searching for key takeaways.

All too often, board members receive hefty board packs only a few days, or even a single day, before a meeting. The end result? Many papers go unread, and critical points are missed.

Contrast this with intelligence briefings prepared for political and military leaders. These are designed to be consumed quickly, and typically run to just a few pages, with an executive summary that distils and highlights the core messages. Board papers should follow suit.

The format should always be tailored to how directors best absorb information. Board members are the ultimate consumers of these papers, and those preparing the papers should adapt accordingly.

More than a decade ago, intelligence agencies began delivering reports in digital formats, including podcasts and videos, while maintaining confidentiality and accountability.

Most boards have yet to reach this level of sophistication. However, even in traditional board packs, improvements in clarity and structure remain an urgent priority.

A well-structured board pack should be:
• Concise – only containing what is necessary
• Precise – with clear takeaways and implications
• Relevant – avoiding unnecessary diversions

When board papers fail in these areas, they derail discussions. Time is wasted on immaterial issues, and the final decision suffers.

The role of the chair

At the heart of the intelligence-driven board pack is the chair. The chair sets the tone for how information is curated, presented and scrutinised. They ensure the correct balance between depth and clarity, context and conciseness, present realities and future implications.

A board that embraces an intelligence mindset does not just passively receive reports—it actively challenges and refines them. The outcome is better decision-making, greater strategic foresight and a more effective governance process.

In today’s fast-moving business environment, boards cannot afford to make decisions based on inadequate, biased, or poorly structured information. Intelligence-driven board papers are not a luxury—they are a necessity.

Ionut Corduneanu is a senior executive board adviser. Andrew Kakabadse is professor of leadership and governance at Henley Business School.