Best Practices for Successful Board Meetings

Board meetings are essential to supporting company goals, preventing conflict and ensuring compliance with regulatory specifications. But they can only be productive if everyone involved is actively engaged and committed to fostering a constructive dialogue. By adopting these best practices, you can transform your Board meetings into the dynamic engines that help your organization move toward its long-term vision and objectives.

Establishing clear expectations and meeting procedures is the first step in running a well-run board meeting. It is essential to clearly identify the person responsible for each item on the agenda and ensure that thedriverprinter.com all attendees understand what they can expect.

Establishing and adhering to timeframes for each agenda item helps to keep the focus on the agenda throughout the meeting. It also shows attendees that their time is appreciated. Think about limiting the number of items on your agenda to ensure that board members have time to talk about each effectively. Noncontroversial items can be voted on via an agenda of consent to free more time for discussions of strategic issues (BoardEffect). Use visual tools like countdown timers to monitor your time, especially when you are dealing with sensitive issues.

Getting sidetracked by new discussion topics can distract from the purpose of the meeting and lead to unneeded discussions. Include an “parking area” on the agenda to include subjects that need further investigation or consideration but aren’t the top of your list. Make sure to revisit the parking lot to evaluate what needs to be further investigated or added to the agenda or assigned as tasks.