Board meetings are important because the decisions taken by your board – which typically require the majority or even all members to reach a consensus – have the ability to greatly impact your business. This means you’ll have many constraints to meet however, the majority of them are less challenging than you might think.
In general, a successful board meeting requires a lot of effort and thought prior to the meeting. If your board members aren’t well-prepared, they may struggle to conduct meaningful discussions at the meeting. This could result in your decision-making being slow or even be impeded. Distribute your board packets at least a few days prior to the meeting to prevent this.
Your board chair should go over any ground rules at the beginning of the meeting with attendees (e.g. how long a discussion will last or how to make an informed decision). This will help everyone understand the rules and creates a positive, productive atmosphere.
The next board meeting platform part of the meeting typically includes reports being presented. This could include financial statements, progress reports, or any other pertinent information. The chair of the board will invite each member to ensure there is a quorum.
During this phase, the board can also review and discuss the minutes of the meeting that was held earlier. When these are finalized, they can be approved by the entire board. Then, any announcements or updates relevant to the current meeting may also be shared. The president can also close the meeting or call it off.