Preparing for your board’s meeting is a crucial task that could be daunting, especially if you are a new board member or have little experience with board meetings. Being prepared for your board meeting will ensure that you get valuable advice and insights from experienced leaders and strategic counsel. The first step is ensuring that the board members are all aware of the agenda and have read relevant materials.
Next, you need to determine the purpose of your meeting. This will help guide your board’s discussions and decisions. It’s also a good idea to go through the minutes of your last meeting, as it will reveal the changes you made, and provide insight on what needs to be discussed during this meeting.
Also, be thoughtful when choosing the agenda items for your meeting. Your board will be able move through the meeting more efficiently if you prioritize the most important issues first. This also helps avoid the meeting from becoming stalled on the less important ones. Furthermore, ensure that each agenda item is clearly defined as a chance to provide information or get more information rather than merely to make a decision.
Send the agenda to your board far enough in advance so that everyone has ample time to read it and review it. This is particularly crucial for in-person or virtual meetings that require quorum attendance. Be sure to check in with members of the executive team that are responsible for reporting and make sure they have the appropriate materials.