Board meetings are essential to support the company’s goals, preventing conflict and ensuring compliance with the requirements of regulatory agencies. However, they can only be effective if everyone is committed to fostering constructive dialogue. Implementing these best practices will transform your Board meetings to dynamic engines that can propel your company towards its long-term goals and vision.
The first step to running an effective board meeting is to set clear expectations and establish a meeting protocol. It is crucial to establish who is accountable for each item on the agenda and ensure that all participants are aware of the expectations they can face.
Establishing and adhering to timeframes for each agenda item helps to keep the focus home thedriverprinter.com/can-a-board-member-be-a-consultant/ on the agenda throughout the meeting. This shows attendees that they are valued. Consider limiting the number of items on your agenda so that your board members have enough time to discuss each item effectively. Noncontroversial items can be approved via a consent agenda to free up more time to discuss strategic issues (BoardEffect). Use visual tools like countdown timers and adhere to your scheduled time frames especially when dealing with sensitive topics.
The distraction of new discussion topics can distract from the meeting goals and lead to unneeded discussions. Include an “parking area” on the agenda to include topics that require further research or consideration, but aren’t at the top of your list. Make sure you regularly check the parking lot to evaluate what needs to be investigated further, added to the agenda, or delegated as an assignment.
