http://digitalboardarea.net/8-tips-for-running-a-successful-board-meeting
A successful board meeting consists of strategies designed to increase the effectiveness of your meetings and create a conducive environment for collaboration. The following guidelines will help you set a dynamic tone, encourage participation from diverse perspectives, and help you achieve your desired results.
Define the purpose of your meeting
Setting clear goals keeps meetings focused and productive. This will also lead participants to productive discussions and decision-making processes. Making clear the goals of the meeting allows leaders to determine the order of the agenda, allot enough time for each topic and allow for flexibility in the event that unforeseen issues or urgent issues arise during the meeting.
Start with the Important Issues
By addressing the most pressing issues first, you’ll increase the energy of your meeting and put everyone in a better frame mind to engage in a deeper discussion. It’s also a great way to set the precedent that your meetings will be focused on issues, rather than updates, which is often the most frequent complaint of board of directors meetings.
Distribute all meeting materials prior to the event
The distribution of the meeting materials and reports to all Board members in advance is the best way to ensure they are prepared for the meeting. This will allow participants to peruse the materials and prepare their thoughts and opinions prior to the meeting. This will stop the meeting from getting lost and bogged down in administrative tasks.
Review Your Meetings
Using an online board portal will allow you to record actions items and follow-up activities during the meeting, and then distribute them in a digestible format after the meeting is completed. It is also crucial to evaluate board meetings regularly to see what is working and what needs to be improved.