Preparing for board meeting preparation is a time-consuming task that includes coordinating meeting dates with everyone, sharing important information and, perhaps most important, drafting a lively agenda for the board in advance. A well-planned agenda for the board can ensure productive discussions that result in effective decision-making and assist you in achieving the goals of your organization. A bad agenda can result in a dog’s feast consisting of a variety of items that are crammed together, leaving no room for generative discussions and progress on important issues.
Boards should arrange agendas so that they start with long-term plans and then end with operational subjects such as policies and procedures. This can prevent the tyranny of urgent issues from consuming and distracting board members. It also keeps them focused on what’s feasible within the parameters of a single meeting.
Ideally, you should assign an appropriate amount of time for every item on your agenda for your board meeting. This will help prevent your meeting from getting too long and ensures that each topic receives the adequate amount of time for discussion to arrive at the desired conclusion.
It can also be helpful to include a section titled ‘Nil’ on your board meeting agenda for any items that are not strategically relevant www.freshboardroom.com/how-to-run-a-board-meeting/ or require further clarification. This can help other directors to raise new questions regarding strategic planning. It can also be used to remind board members of ‘why’ (i.e. its mission) they serve the organization. This will help them focus on the broader agenda.
