Preparing for a meeting of the board is a difficult task as you have to manage many stakeholders and stick to deadlines. But, by adhering to the pre-defined structure and using the most effective tools it’s possible to lessen the stress and enhance the experience for everyone involved.
Set the agenda for board meetings to maximize the amount board meeting preparation of time available for discussion and decision-making. Each item should have an estimated time and a specific goal, such as providing information or seeking out information or making an informed decision. When the discussion veers off-topic take care to guide the conversation back to the agenda. Make sure that someone is taking notes so that key decisions and outcomes are documented.
Make sure that all participants are aware of the meeting’s date, time, and location. This is best accomplished using an online portal for boards that can automate the process of distribution of the materials.
Introduce all attendees to the meeting including guests and special guests. Then, conduct a roll call to determine if there’s enough quorum for the meeting to go on. Review any issues that remain unresolved from the previous meeting, and approve minutes.
If you have remaining time, you can use this to discuss new business items or any other matter that requires a discussion prior to the meeting being ended. It’s also a great time to replace any public notices with the date, time and place of the next meeting.
