Board meetings are a chance for board members to give valuable feedback on the development of a business. Board meetings can also be an opportunity for board members to establish camaraderie and build trust.
A successful board meeting begins with a clear explanation of the meeting objectives before the board meets. Sending a board packet that includes all the information needed for the discussion is one way to achieve this.
Some boards employ Robert’s Rules of Order as a guide for conducting their meetings, however, using this book is not required for every board. In general, the chair is responsible for ensuring that invitations are distributed in time and that notes are recorded, and all necessary materials are provided to members of the board prior to the meeting.
One of the most common mistakes companies make is to not prepare and distribute their board documents on time. It is essential to communicate the goals of the board meetings to all members prior to the meeting. This will allow directors to prepare for the meeting and ask questions. This lets you keep your meeting as brief as you can and save time for discussion. In fact the event that you have a snarky board member who demands the inclusion of a lengthy report on their agenda, schedule it last and at least one hour after any breaks.