A well-organized board meeting can be an essential element for growth and innovation. To achieve this goal it is vital to set clear goals and structure and ensure the right people are present at the right time. The more board members feel respected for their time and knowledge, the more they will participate in discussions and take decisions.
It is important to distribute all agenda items and materials in advance. This must be done at least 3-4 days prior to the meeting. This gives board members time to review materials and formulate their thoughts and opinions ahead of the meeting. This lets the chair begin the meeting with a brief summary of the meeting’s goals and the main inputs sought. This helps to get the meeting moving at the start of the meeting and keep it focused throughout the meeting.
Prioritizing topics according to their importance and impact is crucial when creating the agenda. Also, it is important to make sure that all important topics are covered. Prioritizing items in this manner will allow the board to make strategic decisions, and not just concentrate on effective board meeting updates. This will allow for more productive meetings.
Adhering to the time frames in the agenda will keep board members from becoming distracted. Making sure that noncontroversial items are on the consent agenda can also help to make room for discussion of more strategic issues. Also having the chair make use of an “off-agenda” at the end of the meeting to encourage the agenda to tangents that require more time can be helpful to avoid distractions and limit the amount of time wasted.