A well-run board meeting is a great way to get everyone on board with difficult decisions and problems. To ensure productive meetings it is crucial that everyone is on the exact same level and has had the chance to review the documents in advance. This allows for more discussion and helps boards make informed decisions that are in the best interests of the company.
Board members are likely to have a full calendar of commitments. Therefore, it is important to organize board meetings in advance and ensure that all directors are able to accept the invitation. It’s also a great idea to design an outline of the board’s agenda to ensure that all directors have easy access to the information prior to the meeting.
The most important thing to do on the day of the board meeting is to organize the meeting efficiently. This includes making sure that all items on the agenda are actionable and relevant and contains enough information. It is a good idea to also give each item an amount of time so that the board can move through the agenda without getting caught up in discussions that don’t serve any purpose.
It’s also a good idea to implement an online poll in your board portal to solicit for feedback at the end of each meeting, which helps to keep the level of frustration low and stop issues from boiling over. This will also help to improve the structure of future meetings and ensure that board members are better equipped to make tough decisions.