Board meetings are an integral element of good corporate governance and often provide the most valuable insights for the company. There are a myriad of ways board meetings can become inefficient or even unproductive. In this article, we’ll go over some easy-to-follow tips to help your company to control the meeting cycle and keep your board meetings lively and energetic.
Preparation and punctuality
It is important to begin board meetings promptly. Participants should have all the materials they require to review prior to the meeting begins. Nothing makes a board meeting ineffective more than members struggling to follow the discussion without proper background knowledge or context. The board must also communicate the agenda in a clear manner to all participants at least three to four days prior to the meeting (or earlier) in order for them to prepare and go through it.
The timeframes for meetings that are outlined on the agenda is essential to ensure that the meeting is productive. This will demonstrate to the participants that the board respects their professionalism and understands the importance of their time. The chairperson or moderator should be watching the meeting continuously and guiding the discussions to ensure that the agenda items can be discussed and the meeting ends promptly.
It is also crucial to prioritize the most important issues on the agenda. This will help avoid wasting time on lengthy and non-controversial reports that could have been dealt with directly by the CEO, the management team, or other committees.