The board meeting is a crucial moment for your company to draw on the experience, perspective and influence that Important People on your board bring. If you let them attend to meetings by doing research in order to complete administrative formalities or debating procedural issues — your board will walk away with less than they would have.
The most efficient board meetings are those that include productive discussions as well as concrete actions. Follow these tips to enhance the effectiveness of your meetings.
Before your meeting, gain a good understanding of the timetables of your board members. Begin by using a program like Doodle to locate common open dates on your board members’ calendars. Once you’ve located the most convenient digital board portals time, you can reach out to those who manage their own schedules directly and ask them to confirm their availability.
Start the meeting by giving an overview of the agenda and the key inputs sought. This will likely include recapping highlights from pre-meeting calls and the board’s report.
Give your department heads and committees time and space to discuss important reports and updates. This will keep the board informed and up-to-date. Remember that the board may have to revisit or debate issues that weren’t addressed at the previous meeting. It’s a good idea to assign a specific point person from your team to follow up on these items after the meeting. The board will also have to decide on any important next steps. The decision should be clearly documented in the minutes, with a deadline and expectation for each item.
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