When your board meets, you need to ensure that everyone is well-prepared. Distributing meeting materials a minimum of a week prior to the meeting is a good way to ensure everyone is well-prepared. This gives both new and experienced members the chance to read and prepare for the discussion.
Communication with your board is also important before the meeting. This will allow any bad news to be made public in advance, so it won’t be an issue at the time of the meeting. It’s also a good time to go to the website speak with committees or officers who will be presenting their reports during the meeting. It is important to have an open line of communication between management and the board, especially when there are urgent issues.
Limit the discussion topics discussed during the meeting to topics that are on the agenda. This will allow you to go through each topic in a timely fashion and ensure that the time of the board is used productively.
Don’t be discouraged by disagreements that might arise during discussions. Boards which encourage diversity of thought are more likely to make better decisions than those with one point of view. In fact, a bit of conflict is a good thing and should be encouraged.
It’s also crucial to establish the habit of reviewing the board’s past decisions at every meeting. This will help you to avoid repeating the same mistakes again in future meetings, and also help you identify areas of improvement. Keep a record of the decisions were made can also be useful if disputes arise in the future.
