How to Host a Successful Board Meeting
It’s hard to ensure that everyone’s voice is considered and heard when you have a diverse group of board members. The more you are considerate of your board members for their time and knowledge and experience, the more they’ll take part in discussions. This is where thoughtfully organizing the agenda, early distribution, intelligent timing of the meeting, and easy access to all necessary resources can make a difference.
It is vital to have a line of communication open with your board, even if you are not a part of a formal meeting. It keeps bad news and other issues from being discussed for the first times at the meeting and helps to foster cohesion among directors. Additionally, allowing brief interruptions to the board room can keep meetings productive and on the right track.
Limiting the number of topics that can be discussed at the meeting is another great way to increase the effectiveness of your board meetings. The importance of focusing on two issues at each meeting helps to keep the discussion focused and encourages more meaningful discussions.
Board members can be frustrated when a discussion drifts off topic or is led by one person. This can be a problem, especially if the board member spent precious time preparing for the agenda only to find that their attention is diverted by non-related topics.
Encourage committee chairs and officers prior to the meeting, to distribute short summaries that are bullet-pointed of long reports. This will allow for more time to focus on strategic discussions without the requirement that board members endure lengthy presentations.