How to Improve Your Board of Directors Meetings

The existence of a board of directors can be an excellent way to make sure that your company is run well and that decisions are taken in an open and fair way. To be effective, the board needs to be active in its members and present at every meeting. Poor meeting attendance causes an increase in productivity and results in the loss of effective leadership. Here are some tips to enhance your board meetings.

Plan ahead: Ensure that all board members have received the appropriate information, including financial statements, reports and background imp source material in advance of the meeting. This will allow them to be prepared with thoughtful questions. The early delivery of information gives board members time to review their schedules and confirm they are free to attend.

Start at the right time: Start your meeting with a short call to call the meeting to order and confirm that there is quorum. This will show the board that it respects everyone’s time.

Establish a clear decision-making process: Having a clear decision-making process helps keep the discussion on track and avoids divergent thoughts that could derail the meeting.

Encourage active participation: Creating an environment where all members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions can be a challenge. Chairpersons can play a major role in promoting participation by soliciting input from both sides and encouraging an open and constructive discussion. They can also set ground rules for the discussion in order to encourage concise comments and equal airtime for all participants.