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Brief Executives on AI

You need to communicate about AI to senior leaders who are time-poor and may not have technical backgrounds. This journey helps you land the message.

Step 1
Understand
Step 2
Frame
Step 3
Prepare
Step 4
Deliver

Step 1: Understand Your Audience

Executives aren't a monolith. Know who you're talking to.

Executive Archetypes

Type Primary Concern Speak To
The Enthusiast "Why aren't we doing more AI?" Risk management, realistic timelines
The Skeptic "Is this just hype?" Evidence, concrete outcomes
The Risk-Averse "What could go wrong?" Safeguards, governance, precedents
The Budget Holder "What does this cost?" ROI, cost control, alternatives
The Strategist "How does this fit our direction?" Alignment, competitive position

Before the Briefing

Find out:

  • What do they already know/believe about AI?
  • What's their biggest concern?
  • What decision (if any) do they need to make?
  • How much time do you have?
  • Who else will be in the room?

Step 2: Frame the Message

Executives don't need technical details. They need to understand impact and decisions.

The Executive Formula

What + So What + Now What
Component Focus Time
What The situation/proposal in plain language 20%
So What Why this matters to the organisation 40%
Now What What you need from them 40%

Framing by Scenario

Frame around:

  • Business problem being solved
  • Expected outcomes and how measured
  • Investment required
  • Key risks and mitigations
  • Clear ask: approval, budget, resources

Frame around:

  • What was promised vs delivered
  • Key metrics and trends
  • Issues and how they're being addressed
  • What's next
  • Decisions or support needed

Frame around:

  • What's happening and impact
  • What you've done so far
  • Options with trade-offs
  • Your recommendation
  • Decision needed and urgency

Frame around:

  • Why AI matters to your context
  • What competitors/peers are doing
  • Opportunities and risks
  • Current state of readiness
  • Suggested next steps

Step 3: Prepare Your Materials

Less is more. Executives don't read decks, they scan them.

The One-Pager

If you can only have one document:

Section Content Space
Headline What this is about in <10 words 1 line
Context Why now, what's the situation 2-3 sentences
Proposal/Update What you're saying/asking 3-5 bullets
Implications What this means for the org 2-3 bullets
Ask What you need from them 1-2 bullets

Supporting Materials

Have ready but don't lead with:

  • Detailed project plan
  • Technical architecture
  • Full risk register
  • Financial model
  • Vendor comparisons

Numbers That Matter

  • Productivity impact expected
  • Cost per user/use
  • Risk mitigation measures
  • Compliance status
  • Performance vs targets
  • Cost vs budget
  • User adoption
  • Issue trends

Step 4: Deliver Effectively

The delivery matters as much as the content.

Briefing Principles

  1. Start with the headline - Don't build up to the point
  2. Assume intelligence, not knowledge - Explain concepts, don't condescend
  3. Quantify where possible - "Significant" means nothing, "30% reduction" means something
  4. Acknowledge uncertainty - "We believe" is more credible than false confidence
  5. Have a clear ask - Don't leave them wondering what you want

Handling Questions

Question Type Response Approach
Clarification Answer directly
Challenge Acknowledge, provide evidence
Tangent Note it, offer to follow up
"I heard..." Address the specific concern
Technical deep-dive Summarise, offer detailed follow-up

Common Executive Questions

Be ready for:

  • "What are others doing?" (benchmark data)
  • "What if it goes wrong?" (risk management)
  • "Why now?" (timing rationale)
  • "Who's accountable?" (governance)
  • "How will we know it's working?" (success metrics)
  • "What's the exit strategy?" (reversibility)

After the Briefing

  • Send brief follow-up with key points and actions
  • Deliver on any commitments made
  • Keep them informed on progress
  • Don't disappear until the next crisis

Common Mistakes

Avoid these

  • Too much jargon - "LLM fine-tuning" means nothing to most execs
  • Too much detail - They don't need to know how it works
  • Burying the lead - Get to the point
  • No clear ask - Why are you there?
  • Underselling risks - They'll find out eventually
  • Overselling benefits - Destroys credibility
  • No backup plan - "What if this doesn't work?"

Templates and Tools