When your board is meeting, you should ensure that everyone is well-prepared. One way to ensure this is to provide the meeting materials at least a week before the actual meeting. This gives both new and experienced members the chance to review and prepare for the discussion.
Communication with your board members is important prior to the meeting. This allows any news that is negative to be communicated beforehand, so it doesn’t come as an unexpected surprise at the time of the meeting. It’s also a great time to talk www.yearsboard.com/how-to-have-a-great-board-meeting/ with committees or officers that have reports due at the meeting. It is important to have an open line of communication between management and the board particularly when there are urgent issues.
Limit the discussion topics during the meeting to topics that are scheduled for discussion. This will allow you to progress through each topic quickly and ensure that the time of the board is utilized effectively.
While some discussions could lead to disagreements, don’t allow these to discourage you. Boards that encourage diversity of thinking make better decisions than those who have a single viewpoint. Some disagreements can be beneficial.
It is essential to look back at the previous decisions of the board every time they meet. This will help you avoid making the same mistakes at future meetings, and will highlight areas for improvement. Recording the way decisions were made can help if disputes arise in the future.