When you have a highly diverse group of board members, it’s not always easy to ensure that all viewpoints are heard and taken into consideration. The more you are considerate of your board members’ time and expertise and experience, the more they’ll participate in discussions. Planning the agenda carefully and distributing it before the deadline, choosing the right time, selecting the appropriate location, and having access to all resources is vital.
It is essential to have a clear line communication with your board outside the formal setting of a board meeting is equally important. It prevents bad news or other issues from being discussed for the first times at a meeting and can help to foster cohesion among directors. Allowing for short diversions in the meeting space can also help keep meetings productive.
Limiting the number of topics that can be discussed at the meeting is another great way to improve the efficiency of your board meetings. The importance of focusing on two topics for each board meeting can aid in keeping the discussion on track, and allow for more meaningful discussions.
Board members often get frustrated when a discussion goes off-topic or is led by one person. This can be a source of frustration for board members, especially when they have spent hours preparing the agenda, only to are distracted by unrelated topics.
Encourage officers and committee chairs, prior to the meeting, to send out bullet-pointed https://urbanboardroom.com/why-do-directors-need-to-have-their-own-set-of-personal-standards/ summaries of long reports. This will give more time for discussion on strategic issues without the need for board members go through lengthy presentations.