Preparing for your board’s meeting, whether you’re the chairperson, CEO or executive director is essential to ensure it runs smoothly. While it may seem counterintuitive to dedicate the same amount of time to planning a board meeting as you will be spending at it having a well-organized agenda as well as a thorough board book can actually save more time in the longer run by helping cut down on unnecessary conversations.
Taking the time to clearly define the goals of each board meeting item will also make it easier for board members to understand the topic and how it contributes to their overall contribution https://boardmeetingsonline.blog/organizing-and-preparing-for-your-board-meeting to company success. This is particularly helpful for younger or less experienced board members who may have difficulty understand complex discussions.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to set the time frame for every item on the agenda. This will help keep things moving quickly and prevent board members being shut out before the end of the meeting.
The day prior to the meeting, make sure that the venue is set up and any necessary catering arrangements are in place. Also, make sure that directors who haven’t submitted their reports are given an opportunity to submit their reports by the deadline.
Additionally, you should prepare any information packets that will be distributed to board members prior to the meeting and review any additional rules for meetings. It is best to distribute these packets 48 days prior to the meeting so that board members are able to participate in informed discussions during the meeting.