1. The decision in one sentence
What exactly is the board being asked to decide? (Approve / reject / choose between options.)
2. Why now
What forces a decision at this meeting? What happens if the board waits one cycle?
3. Options considered (at least two, plus "do nothing")
| Option | What it means | Main upside | Main downside | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ||||
| B | ||||
| Do nothing |
4. Recommendation and reasoning
Management / committee recommendation, and the two or three reasons that carry the most weight.
5. Evidence attached
- Source documents (link or attach):
- What evidence would change the recommendation?
6. Risks and how they are mitigated
List the top three risks. For each, the owner and the early-warning signal.
7. Reversibility
Is this easy to undo (low cost to reverse) or hard to undo? Hard-to-reverse decisions deserve more time and dissent.
8. Dissent and open questions
Record the strongest argument against, and who holds it. Questions directors should ask before voting.
9. Conflicts of interest
Anyone with a financial or personal interest? Recusal plan.
10. How we will know (outcome monitor)
The measure, the target, the review date, and who reports back to the board.