When done right Board Meetings are a great opportunity to use the collective intelligence of Important People to address key issues that affect your business and take important decisions. They can alter the direction of your company and steer it away from turbulent waters and into calmer ones. You must ensure that every meeting is valuable by ensuring you make decisions on the right topics and engage all of your participants.
To begin the meeting, your chair should start by confirming the presence of a quorum. This can be done by asking all participants to raise their hands or use an open roll call. The chair should then provide a summary of the focus of the meeting as well as an overview of the important points to be discussed. The chair should also make sure that any new items on the agenda are given enough time to be discussed prior to when they are put to vote.
Before addressing any deliberation or decision-making, it’s vital to review all relevant information and reports. Financial statements along with progress reports on initiatives or projects, and customer feedback surveys are all part of. This information should be compiled and distributed to each board member prior to the date of the board meeting so they can take in the information prior to the discussion.
It is crucial that your board members can engage in open, honest discussions. This can be achieved by creating a culture of respect, encouraging quieter members to speak out and encouraging them to question traditional ideas in a respectful manner. Meetings should be well-organized with regular breaks, refreshments and other activities that keep everyone engaged and motivated.
