Board meetings are a time for board members to give valuable feedback on the progress of a company. Board meetings can also be an opportunity for board members to build camaraderie and trust.
A successful board meeting begins with a clear explanation of what the purpose of the meeting is before the board meets. This means the distribution of a board document that contains all the information required to conduct the discussion (no need to send more information than is critical) and preparing an agenda that highlights what’s most important to be discussed.
Robert’s Rules of Order is used by certain boards to guide their meetings. However, this book isn’t necessary for all boards. In general, the chair is responsible for making sure that invitations are sent out on time and notes are made, and all materials needed are distributed to board members before the meeting.
One of the biggest mistakes companies make is failing to prepare and distribute their board documents in time. It is crucial to communicate the board meeting objectives to all attendees before the beginning of the board meeting, to give directors the opportunity to prepare and ask questions before the meeting. This will allow you to keep your meeting as short as you can, and also save time for discussion. If you have an executive member who insists on a long report being included on the agenda, make sure to schedule it to run for at least one hour after any break.