Board meetings are a critical element of effective business governance, and are often the source of the most valuable information for the company. There are a variety of ways board meetings can turn into ineffective or even useless. This article will explore some simple tips to help your organization keep board meetings dynamic and energized.
The ability to be punctual and prepared
It’s important to begin board meetings on time and ensure that participants have the information they need to study ahead of the of the meeting. The inability of members to follow the discussion due to a lack of background information or context is the most frequent reason for meetings to be ineffective. In addition, the board must clearly communicate the agenda to all participants at least 3-4 days in advance (or even earlier) so that everyone is able to read and prepare for the meeting prior to the time.
Sticking to the meeting timeframes that are outlined on the agenda is vital to maintain productivity. This shows the participants that the board respects their professionalism and understands the importance of their time. The chairperson or moderator of the board must be constantly monitoring the meetings’ progress and gently keeping discussions on topic to ensure that all agenda items are discussed and the meeting concludes promptly.
It is also crucial to prioritize the most important issues on the agenda. This will avoid spending time on non-controversial and long reports that could have been dealt with directly by the CEO, the management team, or other committees.