Successful board meetings require a focused approach to meeting management that will ensure you get the most of every minute you’ve allocated for your meeting. This means staying on track making sure you avoid rabbit trails and other unnecessary detours and repeating agenda goals when necessary. It is also important to have a timer to keep the agenda moving and someone who can take detailed notes so that everyone can review the notes later.
Distribute the agenda and other pertinent materials ahead of time so that participants can prepare. This will help keep your meeting on the right track and allow you to start the discussion once everyone has a solid understanding of the topic.
Limit the amount of time spent on routine and reports that can drag down conversations and make participants feel boardroomonline.org/can-directors-vote-by-proxy/ disengaged and bored. Instead, focus on discussions about strategic issues and key topics that drive the organization forward.
Find patterns in your reports that are routine and turn them into things for the board to tackle during the meeting. This is a good way to energize your board members and they will be charged with resolving a particular issue rather than just responding to an issue.
Give your board members the opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions during the meeting. This will make them feel heard and respected and could lead to new ideas being presented that would otherwise have been overlooked.