It’s difficult to ensure everyone’s opinion is considered and heard when you have a wide range of board members. The more you are considerate of your board members their time and expertise and knowledge, the more likely they are to engage in discussions. This is why thoughtfully planning the agenda, early distribution, a smart time, appropriate locations and simple access to all required resources will go a long ways.
Having a clear line of communication with your board beyond the formal setting of a board meeting is also crucial. It can prevent bad news or other issues being discussed during the first meeting, and help build cohesion between directors. Having short interruptions in the meeting room can also help keep meetings productive.
Limiting the topics that are discussed during a board meeting is a great way to increase the efficiency of meetings. The importance of focusing on two issues at each meeting helps https://urbanboardroom.com/ keep the discussion focused and facilitates more meaningful conversations.
Board members often get frustrated when a discussion goes off-topic or is led by one person. This can be frustrating especially if the board member spent precious time preparing the agenda only to discover their attention is diverted by non-related topics.
Think about removing lengthy reports and other routine items. Encourage officers and committee chairs to provide summary bullet points prior to the meeting. This will allow more time to focus on strategic discussions without the requirement that board members endure lengthy presentations.
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