You built the report. The data is solid. You sent the link. And then... nothing. No feedback, no questions, no evidence anyone looked at it. Sound familiar?
Executives aren't ignoring your reports because they don't care about data. They're ignoring them because the reports don't respect their time or how they think.
They Have 30 Seconds, Not 30 Minutes
Executives context-switch constantly. They might open your report between meetings, on their phone, or while half-listening to a call. If they can't get the answer in 30 seconds, they'll close it and move on.
What to do: Lead with the headline. The top of your dashboard should answer "Are we okay?" before anything else. Use big, clear KPIs with comparison to target or prior period. Everything else is supporting detail. The Executive Summary layout pattern is designed exactly for this.
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Download Free TemplateThey Think in Decisions, Not Data
You built a report showing sales by region, by product, by month, by channel. Impressive coverage. But the executive is thinking: "Should I be worried about Q3?" or "Do we need to hire more reps in the West?"
What to do: Frame your dashboard around decisions, not data. Instead of "Sales by Region," think "Which regions need attention?" Instead of "Monthly Trend," think "Are we on track this quarter?"
They Don't Know What They're Supposed to Do
A dashboard full of charts with no context is just... charts. If the numbers don't come with meaning, executives have to work to interpret them. Most won't.
What to do: Add context. Show targets. Show comparisons. Use conditional formatting to highlight what's good, what's bad, and what needs action. The dashboard should tell a story, not just present facts.
They've Been Burned Before
If executives have opened reports in the past that were confusing, slow, or inaccurate, they've learned to be skeptical. Trust is hard to rebuild.
What to do: Start small. Deliver one report that's fast, clear, and accurate. Make it so good they can't ignore it. Then build from there.
The Design Signals Amateur or Expert
Fair or not, executives judge the quality of your analysis by the quality of your presentation. A polished, well-designed dashboard signals competence. A cluttered, default-styled report signals "this person is still learning."
What to do: Invest in design. Use a consistent custom theme. Align your visuals. Add whitespace. Avoid the 7 common design mistakes that make reports look amateur. Make it look like something from a professional consulting firm, not a first draft.
The Bottom Line
Executives will engage with your reports when those reports make their jobs easier. Lead with answers, not data. Make it fast. Make it clear. And make it look like you know what you're doing.
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