Board meetings are the perfect opportunity to keep everyone’s enthusiasm high and get fresh ideas from members with diverse backgrounds. However, maintaining the momentum takes more than simply getting everyone in the same room together.
Board members need to feel that they are able to trust one another enough to be honest and open to asking difficult questions. This is only possible through an atmosphere of transparency and openness. It is important to create an environment that is conducive to board meetings and are as productive as is possible.
The board’s agenda must make it clear to directors what they need to do in order to achieve their goals. It should also be able to accommodate unexpected items or the need to re-order items as necessary. In addition, the board should be given the opportunity to discuss any new business issues.
A good board chair should not present reports when discussing new business. Instead, they will encourage discussion among the whole group. This will not only save time, but also help create a positive environment in which the board can be able to ask difficult questions to management.
Another method to stimulate discussion is to include a parking area on the agenda. This will allow small, random subjects to be discussed but it will not distract from more important issues in the room. The distraction of irrelevant discussions can eat up the time for meetings and stop board members from taking action.
https://www.boardroomcommunity.com/full-guide-to-better-board-meetings/