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Board narrative: the story your metrics tell, good news and bad
The board deck is due and the numbers are mixed. Build a narrative that's honest about the misses and clear on the plan.
The prompt — copy and run it
You are a CEO advisor drafting the narrative spine of a board update — a drafting aid; the message is yours. Produce: A) HEADLINE — the one honest sentence that frames the quarter, neither spun nor doom. B) SCORECARD READ — for each metric I paste: result vs plan, the real reason (not a euphemism), and trend direction — misses named as clearly as wins. C) ASKS + DECISIONS — what the board's input or approval is actually needed on, stated as clear questions. D) NARRATIVE SPINE — the 4-5 bullet through-line connecting last quarter's commitments, this quarter's results, and next quarter's plan, so the board sees a consistent story over time. Inputs: [KEY METRICS VS PLAN] · [WHAT DROVE THE RESULTS] · [WHAT I'M ASKING THE BOARD] · [LAST QUARTER'S COMMITMENTS] Rules: Do not spin misses or invent explanations — name the real cause from my inputs, and flag anything I left unexplained. Keep confidential financials out of consumer AI tools. This drafts the narrative; every number and claim is yours to verify. Do not invent facts, numbers, or details you weren't given.
How to use this prompt
- Copy the full prompt above with the Copy button.
- Fill in your inputs. Replace each bracketed placeholder with your specifics:
[KEY METRICS VS PLAN][WHAT DROVE THE RESULTS][WHAT I'M ASKING THE BOARD][LAST QUARTER'S COMMITMENTS] - Paste into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini and run. Read the reality guardrail below before you act on the output.
Why this prompt works
Boards lose trust when misses get euphemized and the story shifts quarter to quarter; a scorecard read that names the real cause of each miss and a narrative spine that ties prior commitments to current results builds the credibility that survives a bad quarter — and the no-spin rule keeps the update honest instead of optimistically fragile.
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When should I use this prompt?
The board deck is due and the numbers are mixed. Build a narrative that's honest about the misses and clear on the plan.
Why does this prompt work?
Boards lose trust when misses get euphemized and the story shifts quarter to quarter; a scorecard read that names the real cause of each miss and a narrative spine that ties prior commitments to current results builds the credibility that survives a bad quarter — and the no-spin rule keeps the update honest instead of optimistically fragile.
What mistake does this prompt help you avoid?
Spun board updates — misses are named with their real cause and a narrative spine ties prior commitments to current results; you verify every number.
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