The board meeting is a key occasion for your company to draw on the experience and perspectives that Important People on your board bring. If you let them focus on reading reports, filling out formalities and discussing procedural issues your board will leave the meeting with less than it could have.
The most effective board meetings have productive discussions and concrete action items. Follow these guidelines to improve the effectiveness of your meetings.
Before your meeting, get a good knowledge of the schedules of your board members. Use a tool like Doodle to find the most popular dates that are available on the calendars of your board members. Once you’ve located the most suitable time, reach out to those who manage their own schedules directly and ask for a final confirmation of their availability.
Begin the meeting by giving an overview of the key issues and inputs sought. This will include a brief recap of the highlights from the call prior to the meeting as well as the board’s report.
Give your key department heads and committee members the space and time https://boardroomapp.org/5-tactics-that-will-make-your-executive-board-highly-effective-during-the-meeting/ to communicate important reports and updates. This will keep the board informed and up-to-date. Keep in mind that the board could need to revisit and debate topics that weren’t resolved at the previous meeting. It is recommended to designate a point person within your team to ensure that the items discussed are followed up following the meeting. The board will also have to decide on the next steps that are important. This should be clearly documented in the minutes, and include a set deadline and expectation for each item.