A board meeting structure that is customized to the needs of your business can facilitate productive discussions and ensure that all key points are documented. While there are some rules you can stick to, it is also good to take a flexible approach and be open to changes.
The meeting begins by calling the meeting to order and reviewing the agenda. The chair of the meeting asks whether there are any amendments or additions that must be made. The chair of the board will accept the agenda for discussion and then make a decision.
The board reviews the reports of committees and departments. The discussion typically covers progress updates budgets and financial statements review of proposals, and more. It is a good idea to limit the number of reports-related topics to keep the meeting from becoming entangled in administrative matters.
The chair helps the board members find a common ground on which to discuss and agree on solutions. The chair can adjourn the meeting if there is no items to discuss or as the time for the meeting ends approaches.
Certain directors may be distracted by discussion topics virtual data room software that pop up during board meetings and can derail important discussions. To avoid this you can include an “parking lot” item on the agenda, where directors can push random topics that need to be discussed, but that aren’t top priorities. This lets the board discuss the topics and decide whether they need to be explored further or added to the next agenda.