Preparing a board meeting is a stressful experience that involves a myriad of stakeholders to manage and deadlines to follow. However, by following an established structure and using the most effective tools it’s possible to lessen the stress and maximize the experience for all parties involved.
Set the agenda for board meetings so that you maximize the amount of time that can be used for discussion and decision-making. Each item on these details the agenda should be accompanied by an allotted time frame and a clear objective of either providing information or seeking information or making an outcome. When discussions veer off-topic, gently steer conversations back to the agenda and make sure an individual is taking notes in order to record important decisions and their outcomes.
Make sure that all participants are aware of the meeting date and time as well as the location. This is best done using a portal for boards that will automate the process of distributing the materials.
Introduce everyone present at the meeting, including guests and special guests. A roll call is needed to determine if there’s a enough quorum to hold the meeting. Discuss any business that is not resolved from the previous meeting and then approve the minutes.
You can make use of the remaining time to discuss any new business or other topics that need to be discussed before the meeting concludes. It’s also a good time to take down all notices of public meetings and replace them with the next date and time as well as the location.
