Preparation is the best way to ensure that your board meetings are productive and advice efficient. Making preparations for a board session is not just about ensuring that you have the proper room and equipment, but ensuring that your entire team has the knowledge they need to have a successful discussion.
The agenda should be set first. Making sure that the date and time are established well in advance allows your team time to mark their calendars and make arrangements for attendance. You can also distribute the materials to the board in advance so that your board members have ample time to go over them prior to the meeting.
During this time it’s a good idea to think about what topics are the most relevant and necessary to discuss. You should also think about what you’d like to accomplish at the meeting, including any milestones or actions to complete. This will help you determine the time allotted for each item, and help keep your meetings organized and on track.
Create a rough agenda and distribute it to the executive and board chair, along with any other stakeholders in the mix. Often, new items are suggested at this stage, so it’s crucial to be flexible and realistic in how you handle new items. Consider parking or putting them aside for a later meeting when they don’t appear be appropriate.
It’s essential to have a system for recording and disseminating minutes. Boardable makes it easy to distribute minutes and publish them as soon as they’re in place. You can also assign tasks to board members and monitor the progress between meetings.
