22 Oct Tips for Conducting Board Meetings
During board meetings top-tier leaders meet to discuss and debate issues that are crucial to their organizations. These discussions have a direct effect on the direction of the organization including investor confidence and public opinion. It is therefore crucial for directors of boards to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of their meetings. This article offers guidelines for conducting board meetings with the intention of creating productive and engaging discussions.
Begin by welcoming and introducing every board member, especially if they are new to the meeting. This sets the stage for a cooperative board meeting, helps establish proper manners for boardroom meetings, and encourages participation.
The meeting should begin and end on time, as this shows respect for the other directors and deters tardiness. This is especially important when meeting through virtual methods, where time management can be a problem.
Don’t waste time with routine or irrelevant things, such as committee reports and voting. Instead, limit these to 25 percent of the time and use the majority of time to discuss strategy and other important issues.
Clearly communicate how decisions will be made at the time of the meeting (consensus, voting, or another method). This ensures that all board members are aware the process of making decisions and are able to be part of meaningful discussions.
Obtain feedback from board members on their satisfaction with the manner in which your organization conducts its board meetings. This can be done through informal discussions, or using polling tools and surveys. For instance look at here now whether the structure of the board and content encourages a lively discussion. Or you could ask the members to rate the quality of their meetings on a number scale.