How to Make Your Board Meetings More Productive

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The board meeting is a crucial occasion for your company to benefit from the knowledge and perspectives that Important People on your board bring. If you let them be occupied with reading reports, completing formalities or discussing procedural issues your board will leave the meeting with less than it could have.

The most successful board meetings are based on productive discussions and concrete action items. To ensure that your meetings are as efficient as you can, follow these tips:

Get a clear understanding of the schedules of your board members before your meeting. Begin by using a tool such as Doodle to locate common open dates on your board members’ calendars. After you’ve found the most convenient time, reach out to those who manage their own schedules directly and ask to confirm their availability.

Start the meeting by giving a brief overview of the meeting’s focus and the most important suggestions. This will include a brief recap of the highlights from the pre-meeting call and the board’s package.

Give your key department heads and committee members the space and time to share important information and reports. This will keep the board updated and informed. Keep in mind that the board could be required to revisit or discuss issues that weren’t addressed at the previous meeting. It is helpful to assign a specific point person from your team to follow up on these issues following the meeting. The board should also determine any important next steps. This should be clearly documented in the minutes, with a deadline and expectation for each item.