A productive board meeting requires a focused approach to meeting management to ensure that you get the most of every minute you’ve allocated for your gathering. That means staying on topic as well as limiting the whims of other diverted discussions, and repeating the goals of the agenda as needed. It is also essential that you have a timer in place to keep the agenda moving and someone who can take detailed notes so that everyone can read them later.
Distribute all relevant materials and agendas prior to the meeting so that participants are able to prepare. This will keep your meeting on the right track and allow you to begin the discussion once everyone has a solid understanding of the topic.
Reduce the time you spend on routine reports and items, which tends to slow conversations and make attendees bored and disengaged. Concentrate on the most important topics and strategic issues that will assist the organization in its progress.
Look for patterns in your regular reports, and then turn these into actions that the board can take on during their next meeting. This is an effective way to get your board members to work on boardroomonline.org/who-can-attend-board-meetings/ solving problems, instead of just responding to a report.
Give your board members the chance to voice their opinions and opinions during the meeting. This can help them to feel heard and valued as well as lead to new ideas being presented that would otherwise have been ignored.
