How to Host a Successful Board Meeting

If you have a diverse group of board members, it’s not always easy to ensure that everyone’s opinions are heard and taken into consideration. The more you are considerate of your board members for their time and knowledge as well as their expertise, the more they’ll participate in discussions. This is where thoughtfully scheduling the agenda, arranging for early distribution, a smart time suitable locations, and easy access to all resources goes a long way.

Being able to establish a clear line of communication with your board, even outside the formal board meeting is also crucial. It can prevent bad news or other issues being discussed at the very first meeting, and help build cohesion between directors. In addition, allowing short interruptions in the boardroom can keep meetings productive and on course.

Limiting the number of subjects to be addressed at meetings is a great method to increase the efficiency of your board meetings. The importance of focusing on two issues at each meeting helps to keep the discussion on track and encourages more meaningful conversations.

Board members can be frustrated when a discussion goes off-topic or is led by a single person. This can be a problem particularly if a board member took their time preparing for the agenda only to discover their attention is diverted https://urbanboardroom.com/why-do-directors-need-to-have-their-own-set-of-personal-standards/ by non-related topics.

Encourage officers and committee chairs prior to the meeting, to send out short summaries that are bullet-pointed of long reports. This will free up time for discussion on strategic issues without the need to have board members listen to lengthy presentations.