Board Meeting Tips – How to Get the Most Out of Your Meetings
Your board of directors is essential to the success of your community. Getting the most out of your board meetings starts by preparing and planning. Here are a few important tips for a successful board meeting to assist you in being more productive:
The agenda is distributed prior to the meeting. This gives board members an opportunity to review the material prior to the meeting and ask questions. They can also prepare for the discussion.
It is a good idea to hold your board meetings in a public setting like the library in your area or a conference room at the local business. This will minimize distractions such as ringing phones and children as well as family pets that can disrupt the flow of discussions.
It is important to assign a person with taking minutes in a detailed manner during the meeting. This will ensure that crucial decisions are recorded, and the board will have a record of what was discussed.
Limit the time allocated for each item on the agenda to ensure that the meeting is kept moving and avoid diverging discussions. If you think that a particular item on the agenda is taking too long, move it to «parking lots» for a later discussion. This will keep the main issues at the forefront.
Explain the decision-making process during the meeting. This will allow everyone to understand the discussion and be able to participate, whether by consensus or voting.
Encourage participation from C-level officers to offer their expertise at the meeting. This will allow the board to listen directly to the people closest to the action who are best equipped to offer advice.
