The way your board conducts its meetings plays an important influence on the effectiveness and efficiency of your board. To maximize the impact of each meeting, ensure that all board members are aware of what is expected. This includes establishing and maintaining clear rules for decision making, adhering to voting guidelines and accurately documenting the decisions by taking precise minutes.
A productive board meeting begins with a well-crafted agenda. Give time limits to each agenda item, and think about using visual tools such as countdown timers to enable everyone to manage their time efficiently. Avoid boring your board members with long reports and updates. Instead, prioritize the most important issues at the top of the agenda.
It is important to clearly communicate the way your board makes its decisions Consensus-based discussions are the best, but it’s also okay to use a formal voting process when necessary. However, you must ensure that everyone is aware of the process used to make decisions before each meeting so that there are no surprises.
A well-trained board secretary will ensure that webpage your board meeting is successful. Make sure that the person who is responsible for taking minutes has sufficient training and is a committed member of your board of directors. Check to see that the secretary is noting all pertinent subjects, including the details from the reports of the comittee and officer. Then, swiftly and accurately summarize all decisions taken at the meeting in your minutes of the board, and assign responsibilities for action items and follow-ups.