Speak your CEO’s Language: Building a Business Case that Gets a YES!

I remember the pressure of presenting to the board when I worked in-house as an internal communications professional. The meticulous preparation for pre-read slides, the nerves, and the anticipation of challenging questions—it was intense.

If I knew then what I know now, I might have approached it differently.

As internal communicators, we’re often people-focused, with our ear to the ground and completely connected to all parts of the business, but we haven’t always got the training or experience in business language. We haven’t all had exposure to the boardroom—and that can hold us back.

During the pandemic, internal communication had a moment. We were seen. Valued. Given a seat at the table. But five years later, that seat isn’t always there. Our voices aren’t being heard in the same way that they were then.

Why? What’s changed?

The language shifted but we didn’t

In 2020, the focus was firmly on people: empathy, connection, reassurance. Leaders leaned into that too. Now, the tide has changed. We're navigating economic instability, geopolitical uncertainty and tighter business margins. With that, the boardroom has turned its attention back to performance, costs and efficiencies.

That’s where the disconnect lies. Many internal communication teams are still speaking the language of care and connection. This remains vital, of course, but we’re not translating it into the commercial language that CEOs are looking for.

If we want our work to be seen as essential, not optional, we need to talk about it differently. We need to build business cases that are watertight, measurable and clearly tied to business priorities. We need to walk into the boardroom not asking for permission but showing leaders what’s at risk if they don’t take action.

Here Are 4 Tips for Creating a Watertight Business Case:

#1. Lead With Data

Your business leaders thrive on data, but clicks and likes are vanity metrics and won’t cut it in the boardroom. You need to prove the real impact on time, profit, retention, outcomes and performance.

Leaders want to know how much money can be saved, what efficiencies can be gained and how quickly. They don’t want to hear about best practices or what other companies are doing either—they want to know the impact on your business.

That means that we need to switch from communicator to number cruncher. Chances are the most useful data won’t come from internal communication alone, so start with your internal sources and get close to your HR, IT and Finance teams. Understand where you can pull the numbers from and how to interpret them in a way that backs your case.

Not only do you need to provide evidence to support your proposal, you also need to spell out the cost to the business if your leaders don’t take action.

#2. Re-Think Your Language

Your leaders don’t want to hear that your campaign was “well received.” They want to know how it reduced attrition, boosted productivity and supported business goals.

So speak their language. Link your proposal directly to OKRs, outcomes (not outputs) and other business-critical metrics. This is your chance to demonstrate how your proposal impacts wider organizational strategies— not as a side project but as a core contributor to organizational performance.

#3. Be Crystal Clear on Your Ask

Be laser-focused on what you need for your proposal to work, whether that's time, resource, leadership support, investment or something else. Also, include what return the business can expect and how that will be measured. The more specific you are, the stronger your business case becomes.

#4. Don’t Wait Until You’re in the Boardroom

One of the most valuable lessons I learned when I was in-house was that the boardroom isn’t where decisions happen: it’s where they get signed off.

The best business cases are never cold. They’ve been floated, socialized and stress-tested with key people well before the board meeting.

So start early. As you’re formulating your business case, sound out your ideas with stakeholders, influencers and decision-makers. This not only strengthens your pitch, it builds support before you even enter the boardroom. It mitigates the unforeseen and often scary objections and smooths the way for the favorable decision you’re looking for.

Final thoughts…

Presenting to senior leaders doesn’t have to be intimidating. With the right preparation, a solid business case, the right data, and language that speaks to performance, not just people, you'll position internal communication as the strategic driver it really is.

This is about translating the value of your work into a language that gets buy-in and makes an impact. When you speak the CEO’s language, doors open and your people-focused plans finally get the support they deserve.