The board meeting is an important occasion for your business to gain insight from the experience, perspective and influence that Important People on your board bring to the table. However, if they spend the meeting studying reports in order to complete administrative formalities or debating procedural issues — your board will leave with a lot less than they would have.
The most successful board meetings are based on productive discussions and concrete action items. To make your meetings as effective as possible take these steps:
Be aware of the schedules of your board members prior to your meeting. Start by using a tool like Doodle https://indexdataroom.blog/streamlining-manda-due-diligence-the-power-of-virtual-data-rooms/ to locate common open dates in the calendars of your board members. After you’ve found the most convenient time, reach out to those who manage their own schedules directly and ask to confirm their availability.
Start the meeting by giving a brief overview on the key issues and inputs sought. This will likely include recapping highlights from the calls prior to the meeting and the board’s agenda.
Give your key department heads and committee members the space and time to share important information and reports. This will help the board remain current. Be aware that the board may have to revisit or debate topics that weren’t resolved at the previous meeting. It is recommended to designate one of your team to ensure the items discussed are followed up following the meeting. Lastly, the board should decide on any important next steps. This should be documented in the minutes along with the date and timeframe for each item.