Your board of directors are crucial to the success of your community. Preparation and planning are key to getting the most from your board meetings. Here are a few key tips for a successful board meeting to help you be more productive:
Create a clearly defined agenda and send it out prior to the meeting. This allows board members to read the agenda prior to the meeting, ask questions and prepare for the discussion.
Consider holding your board meeting in a public space, such as a conference room or library of a local business. This will help reduce distractions such as pets, children and the ringing of phones, which can distract a discussion.
Choose a person to take detailed minutes of the meeting. This will ensure that important decisions are documented and that the board has a record of the discussions.
Limit the timeframe for each agenda item in order to keep the meeting on track and prevent tangents. If you feel that a particular item on the agenda is taking too long, you can move it to «parking lots» for later discussion. This will keep the main topics in the front of the room.
Define the process of making decisions during the meeting. This will allow everyone to understand the discussion and participate, whether it is through consensus or voting.
Encourage officers at the C-level and their staff click this to attend the meeting to impart their knowledge. This will enable the board to hear directly from people who are closest to the action who are best equipped to offer guidance.