Best Practices for Successful Board Meetings

Board meetings are crucial to aiding in the achievement of company goals, avoiding conflict and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. But they can only be productive if everyone in the room is involved and committed to fostering a constructive dialogue. Implementing these best practices will transform your Board meetings to dynamic engines that push your business towards its long-term goals and vision.

Setting clear expectations and meeting rules is the first step to organizing a well-run board meeting. It is crucial to identify who is responsible for each item on the agenda and ensure that all attendees understand what they can expect.

Setting and adhering to timeframes for each agenda item helps to maintain focus throughout the meeting. This shows attendees that they are valued. It is a good idea to limit the number items on your agenda to ensure that your board members have time to discuss each one effectively. Items that are not controversial can be put to vote via a an agenda of consent to free more time for discussions of strategic issues (BoardEffect). Use visual tools such as countdown timers to adhere to the time frames you have set, especially when addressing sensitive topics.

Distractions in discussions can result in unnecessarily long meetings and distract from the goals of the meeting. Include an “parking area” on the agenda for topics that need further investigation or consideration, but aren’t on the top of your list. Always check in on the parking area to determine what should be added to the agenda or researched further or delegated.

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