You've chosen the right technology for your board. You've compared what's out there and found something that will make life easier for directors and the team that supports them. Now comes the part that often feels hardest: bringing people with you.
Boards move carefully. Colleagues are busy. Some will want reassurance. Others may be attached to familiar routines. And as tools start to include more AI features, new questions surface: I don't trust it, I don't understand it, what if it gets something wrong?
These are natural, human reactions and need to be carefully managed as part of any change.
At Board Intelligence, we've spent over twenty years studying the science of board effectiveness — how boards think, work, and decide. That experience has taught us what helps change land well and what causes it to stall.
This guide draws on those lessons to help you build support quickly and confidently, whether you're preparing a business case, running a trial, or simply helping your organisation move forward.
1. Start with the need, not the technology
The strongest proposals focus first on the problem to solve. Before you mention any tools, help people recognise the issues that are slowing the organisation down or increasing risk.
Common examples include:
- Manual processes that take hours every cycle
- Packs going out late or changing at the last minute
- Directors struggling to navigate papers
- A reliance on email for sensitive information
- Inconsistent reporting
- Unbalanced agendas that limit discussion
- Limited visibility of actions and follow-up
These aren’t abstract frustrations — they affect confidence, quality, and pace. Once people recognise the need, they’re far more open to the solution.
Rather than telling colleagues what's wrong, invite them into the conversation. Help them identify the issues by asking open questions that surface insight, such as:
- Where does most time get lost each month?
- Where do mistakes tend to happen?
- What would clearer reporting help us achieve?
- Which risks does our current process create?
When people articulate the issues themselves, they’re more likely to support change.
2. Tailor your message to each stakeholder group
Tailoring your message shows respect for people’s perspectives and makes conversations easier.
Every stakeholder brings their own concerns, pressures and priorities. How you frame the message should reflect that.
| Stakeholder group | What they care about | How to frame the message |
| Directors | Clear papers, secure access, smoother meetings | "This helps you get to what matters quickly and improves discussion quality." |
| Executives | Speed, fewer last-minute changes, consistent reporting | "This reduces rework and saves hours every cycle." |
| IT & security | Data protection, permissions, reduced risk from email | "This removes the biggest security gaps in our current process." |
| Governance team | Less manual work, fewer fire drills, more control | "This makes the cycle calmer, more predictable, and easier to manage." |
| Colleagues wary of change | Familiarity, reassurance, a gentle transition | "You can move at your own pace. We'll support you throughout." |
| Senior leaders | Value for money, impact, risk reduction | "This pays for itself in time saved and risk avoided." |
3. Build a clear, grounded proposal
A strong proposal doesn’t rely on persuasion. It relies on clarity. A helpful structure usually answers five questions:
1. Why now?
What happens if nothing changes? Think about time, risk and pressure on the team.
2. What difference will this change make?
Be practical and specific:
- Faster, more secure pack preparation
- Smoother planning
- Clearer papers and better conversations
- Fewer distribution risks
- A calmer cycle for everyone
3. What evidence supports this?
Real-world examples make the case stronger. Here are some examples of how Board Intelligence clients have benefited:
- Nationwide Building Society decided to change board portal provider and calculated a 45% time saving in the board meeting preparation.
- Waystone reduced pack compilation from days to a few hours across more than 70 entities.
These examples show that better processes lead to better governance — and measurable gains.
4. What is the cost of doing nothing?
Time lost. Risks unmanaged. Inconsistent reporting. Increased pressure on the governance team.
5. How will we make the change easy?
Show that you've thought through adoption, support and timing. A simple rollout plan gives people confidence.
Our guide to writing a great business case and portal switch template are great tools for structuring this.
“The Board Intelligence board portal could not be more intuitive. Everybody loves using it, and we’ve saved so much time.”
Jason Wright, Society Secretary, Nationwide
Read the case study4. Dealing effectively with objections
Questions and concerns are a natural part of any change. Handling them calmly builds trust.
Below is a clear, people-first summary of the most common objections, both AI and non-AI, and how to respond.
| Objection | Category | How to respond |
| "I don't trust AI." | AI-related | Tools suggest, not decide. You stay in control. Everything can be edited before it's shared. |
| "I don't understand how this works." | AI-related | Keep it simple: it speeds up drafting and you approve everything. A short demo helps. |
| "What if it gets something wrong?" | AI-related | Nothing is final without review. You can regenerate or edit easily. Human judgement stays central. |
| "A director won't move away from paper." | Non-AI | Offer a gradual transition, run both formats briefly and show quick wins. |
| "We don't have time to do this." | Non-AI | Set-up is quick. Choose a quiet period. The long-term savings are significant. |
| "We don't have the budget." | Non-AI | Compare with printing, distribution, and rework costs. Highlight risk reduction. |
| "We've tried something before and it didn't work." | Non-AI | Learn what went wrong, adjust your plan and run a small pilot to rebuild confidence. |
| "Could we build something ourselves?" | Non-AI | Explore support costs, usability and long-term maintenance. Specialist tools evolve faster. |
Handled well, objections become opportunities to build alignment.
Use our quick and easy board reporting cost calculator to uncover the hidden cost of creating and distributing your board pack.
Start now5. Avoid the common mistakes
Three pitfalls come up again and again:
- Trying to fix everything at once: Start with one clear need. Build trust. Expand later.
- Handing the decision fully to procurement: Procurement is essential, but governance teams know what the board needs.
- Letting one hesitant voice stall progress: Support that person, but don't pause everyone else’s progress.
6. Run a short, focused pilot
A pilot is often the turning point. Keep it simple:
- Pick a small group
- Set clear goals
- Capture feedback quickly
- Share early wins
A good pilot creates advocates and evidence.
7. Build a realistic six-month plan
A clear, practical plan reassures stakeholders. Include:
- A clear start date tied to a quieter cycle
- Short, practical training
- Early wins people will feel
- Clear support routes
- Review points for fine-tuning
- Key executive sponsors, owners, milestones, and dependencies
This shows that the change is manageable, controlled, and thoughtful.
8. Your buy-in checklist
Before presenting your business case, check you’ve:
- Defined the need clearly
- Tailored your message by stakeholder
- Prepared for objections
- Avoided trying to fix everything at once
- Identified your pilot group
- Mapped a simple plan
- Collected strong evidence and case studies
If you can tick all of these, you’re in a strong position.
Next steps
Securing buy-in isn't about persuasion — it's about clarity, reassurance, and good planning. Once colleagues can see the need, understand the benefits and trust the path ahead, support usually follows.
If you'd like help shaping your business case or arranging a director-led demonstration, our team is here to support you. Just get in touch.
And read our blog 'How to make your board technology investment deliver' to explore how to ensure your technology investment pays off with practical steps to deploy new ways of working that last.
With the “easiest to use board portal on the market”, powered by enterprise-grade security, first-rate support, and features that set your board and governance team up to succeed.
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