How to Have a Great Board Meeting
When your board is meeting, you should make sure everyone is prepared. One method to accomplish this is to distribute the meeting materials at least a week prior to the actual meeting. This gives both old and new members a chance to review the agenda and prepare for discussions.
Communication with your board is important prior to the meeting. This will allow any bad news to be made public in advance, so that it won’t be unintentionally revealed during the meeting. It is also a good idea to use this time to talk with any officers or committees that have reports due at the meeting. It is crucial to have a a direct communication channel between the board and management, especially when there are urgent issues.
Limit the discussion topics during the meeting to topics that are scheduled for discussion. This will allow you to work through each subject in a timely manner and ensure that the time allocated to the board is utilized effectively.
Don’t be dissuaded by disagreements that could arise during discussions. Boards that encourage diversity in thinking take better decisions than boards that are based on a single view. In fact, a little disagreement is good and should be encouraged.
It is crucial to review past decisions of the board at each meeting. This will allow you to avoid repeating the same mistakes in subsequent meetings, and also reveal areas for improvement. A record of how decisions were taken can be helpful if disputes arise in the future.
