A successful board meeting is based on planning and following up with a sense of responsibility. The more that board members feel their time and expertise is valued and respected, the more they will take part in the discussion.
Start your meetings on schedule and this will help keep everyone focused throughout the meeting.
Consider implementing a consent agenda, that can reduce the amount of time wasted by including reports and documents that all members were tasked with reviewing prior to the meeting. This way, you don’t be required to spend a lot of meeting time explaining these issues.
Encourage board members to participate by presenting different perspectives, even if their opinions are not in agreement. Boards are more effective when there is a range of opinions on a particular issue; this is what produces innovative solutions that can be beneficial to the business.
Every board meeting should have clear objectives and a priority for effective planning. This ensures that the board is following a an effective plan to meet its goals and manage any possible risks.
It is a good idea to schedule a short meeting with directors prior to the board meeting to discuss the principal subjects of the meeting. This will help in building rapport with the directors, make them comfortable with the board members and provide them with a solid basis on which they can base their decisions. Additionally, you should consider using tools that let you get feedback from your board members following each meeting. You can do this by using open-ended questions, or even a simple software for polling. The more you learn from your participants about the way they felt about their board meeting, the more valuable information you’ll have for the next time.