5 Tips for Effectively Briefing Executives on Geopolitical Threats
How to best communicate growing and evolving global threats to support informed decision-making
As an intelligence professional, you play a critical role in protecting your organization from geopolitical threats. Beyond identifying and monitoring threats, you influence how executives understand and react to global events that could significantly impact the business.
But as you know, delivering clear, actionable, and concise briefings to executives (like your CEO or head of legal) isn’t easy. Today’s geopolitical threats are constantly evolving. And social media amplifies those signals, creating an overwhelming mix of unverified threats and credible information. It’s tough to identify what information to share and how to frame it.
On top of that, executives aren’t focused on the same things you are. While you’re tuned into identifying threats and assessing risks, your executive leadership team is thinking about business outcomes like revenue growth, tariffs, legal risk, and market competition. Their time is limited, and their priorities are driving the business forward without disruption.
Getting it right is a balancing act. You must provide enough context for informed decision-making without overwhelming them with unnecessary details. With the right strategies, you can deliver impactful briefings that resonate with executives, empower them to act decisively and keep your organization safe and strong — especially amid rising global tensions, from economic sanctions to the violence in the Middle East.
How to sharpen your approach to executive briefing
1. Find the real signals through the noise
Great briefings start with strong intelligence. To clearly communicate which threats require action, you first need to quickly and accurately distinguish real signals from the noise. The most effective way to accomplish this is with intelligence software that consolidates monitoring across OSINT, dark web, social media sites, and more — delivering comprehensive, trusted threat data in one place.
Rather than sifting through disconnected data from siloed sources, leverage a centralized system that streamlines analysis. This approach accelerates threat detection, reduces uncertainty, and ensures a complete, reliable view of the threat landscape — empowering more effective, confident briefings.
2. Tie threats directly to business impact
When presenting geopolitical threat landscape findings to executives, don’t just highlight the threat — frame your insights in terms that align with their goals. A CEO wants to know how a threat affects the company’s overall performance (like cost savings and operational efficiencies). At the same time, your head of legal may care more about regulation compliance or potential lawsuits (like fines or legal fees).
For example, if rising tariffs between two nations could disrupt your supply chain, link that directly to potential delays, increased costs, or reputational damage. Quantifying the risk with real numbers makes the impact clearer and more compelling.
3. Tailor your delivery to the executive’s preferences
Some executives want every piece of information you uncover, even if it’s unverified. Others only want major verified updates, especially if they impact their family. This will depend on individual risk tolerance and decision-making style.
Don’t guess at your executives’ needs and expectations. Have an open and direct conversation with your “consumer” about their preferences. Ask when they want to be alerted, how much detail they expect, and what kinds of threats they consider priorities.It also helps to pay close attention to executives’ habits and feedback. If they consistently tune out details, adjust to avoid “threat fatigue,” and keep critical signals impactful. Or, if they respond better to storytelling with an emotional element, incorporate that into your approach.
“You need three components when you’re communicating risk: you need to have ethos, pathos, and logos… You need evidence-backed data and a logical appeal, and then the pathos is emotion. You really need to connect to something on an emotional level.”
— Liz Maloney, Microsoft
4. Be concise and direct
Executives don’t have time for long-winded explanations. Think of your briefing like the President’s Daily Brief (PDB). It should be concise, focused, and actionable. The goal is to deliver the most important information with just enough context to support a decision.
Structure your briefings for clarity: Start with the key intelligence, outline its implication (as noted above, the more you can align this with business metrics, the better), and end with a recommended action plan. Executives don’t just need to know the threat — they need to know what you suggest they do about it. For example:
- Key intelligence: Unrest near a major supplier linked to political instability
- The implication: This could delay shipments next quarter, resulting in losses that could total nearly $10 million
- Recommended action: Consider diversifying suppliers to mitigate potential disruptions
If you can’t summarize the critical information in a few sentences, you’re providing too much. Less is more. One effective way to quickly condense key information is by leveraging AI. Many AI tools can help you summarize content, build scenarios, model probabilities, and create visual presentations.
5. Build relationships before you need them
Your team is likely identifying many geopolitical threats independently, but you may also receive intelligence from law enforcement or government agencies. The key is ensuring that you receive this information first, not your executive team.
Start building relationships now with local, state, and federal law enforcement and key intelligence agencies. Establishing yourself as a trusted resource will make these agencies more likely to share critical information directly with you. This will allow you to control how it is communicated to your executive team, ensuring clarity and strategic alignment.
Building strong relationships with local agencies takes time, especially with frequent personnel changes. Proactively connect with key groups like local police, fire departments, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, and InfraGard. Offer your space for meetings or training—for example, a SWAT walk-through or “Stop the Bleed” session. Supporting first responder events, as budget allows, also strengthens ties. These efforts help ensure faster, more effective coordination during emergencies.
“Breaking bread with these teams — whether federal or state — bringing them into your ‘house,’ explaining your risk, and helping them understand your business is a game changer.”
— Jacob Valdez, Applied Materials
Paint a clear picture of what matters most
Effectively briefing executives on geopolitical threats is as much about how you communicate as it is about what you communicate. Your executive team relies on you not only for your expertise but also to cut through the noise and paint a clear picture of what matters most.
By leveraging tactics like tying threats to business impact, understanding your audience, and offering actionable recommended solutions, you empower your executives to make better, faster decisions. This not only keeps your organization safe but also demonstrates the true value of your role.
