Board meetings should be interactive and productive with the focus on strategic direction and organizational goals. With the help of these best practices boards can maximize the effectiveness of meetings and increase engagement while improving efficiency of decision-making, governance, and leadership.
Attendance at Quorum is Required
The opening of the board meeting by giving a recap of highlights from previous pre-meeting phone or in-person meetings, as and a review of the agenda at a high-level will help to create a positive atmosphere for the rest of the meeting. This will also ensure that a quorum of members is present to conduct business.
Explore in depth the important issues
Effective board meetings must include time for in-depth discussion. Overly long agendas may overburden participants with routine reports or «have to» things, which can distract them from discussions about the strategic and high-level issues.
Encourage Participation by Creating a Safe and respectful environment
A culture that encourages participation and respects a variety of opinions is essential for engaging discussions. This can be accomplished through encouraging everyone on the board to speak about their opinions while avoiding personal attacks and promoting open dialog. This can also be achieved through the use of board evaluations and facilitation methods that facilitate constructive and informed discussions.
Clarify the procedure of decision-making to avoid disagreements, confusion, and miscommunication. Make clear whether the decisions will be made through majority vote, consensus or some other method. record the results accurately in your board’s minutes. Additionally, be clear on how you’ll handle accountability and follow-up questions.