Effective Board Meetings can help businesses succeed by bringing in expertise as well as encouraging collaboration and facilitating decisions. However, conducting effective meetings requires that Board members prioritise efficient time management and a focused and forward-looking outlook. Board members must be aware of how meeting duration, layout and rules affect their effectiveness.
Meetings that are overly long, chaotic or unclear can take up a lot of time. Often, this happens because of a lack of preparation or insufficient support from the executive team of the board portal. Board members may not be aware of their role in the process and may be discouraged from participating in discussions that aren’t relevant to the agenda. A board meeting that concludes early could be interpreted as a Govenda Boardroom Review rubber stamping board which does not question any decisions taken.
Board meetings must have a clearly defined agenda that is well-publicized before the meeting. The agenda should outline the major points of discussion for each board member, as well as the focus of the meeting. The chair of the board must act as facilitator of the meeting, leading the conversation to ensure that all pertinent issues are addressed within the allotted timeframe.
A productive Board meeting usually results in an agenda of to-do’s and actions that need to be taken before the next one. The process of preparing for the meeting can consist of reviewing materials as well as researching topics and making thoughtful suggestions or questions. The board should also promote a culture of accountability in its members by making sure they follow-up on all actions taken and decisions taken at previous meetings.
