When it comes down to board meeting success, the tone within the room is as much as the content. Board members are invested and will listen attentively to the discussions if they feel engaged. Take note of the following suggestions to help you run a productive board meeting:
Make a clear agenda and distribute it to all attendees. Set time limits for each discussion item to keep the discussion moving along and avoid getting distracted. Limiting discussions to 30 minutes each will keep the board from becoming distracted by irrelevant topics.
Make the meeting as convenient for your board as is possible. If you’re conducting a teleconference meeting, ask them to switch off notifications and close any https://urbanboardroom.com/how-to-host-a-successful-board-meeting/ other programs that could affect their bandwidth. This will help the meeting run smoothly and ensure that everyone can hear and see each other clearly.
If appropriate, serve refreshments. This is particularly crucial for meetings held in the evening after the day’s work. This will allow your board members to remain focused and enthusiastic.
Start the meeting with an encapsulated success story that will remind your board members of the organization’s mission and current initiatives. This will also motivate the board to continue working towards the organization’s goals. The last thing to do is make sure you have an quorum of all attendees before you open the meeting. This is a crucial aspect that can have a significant impact on the quality of the meeting’s results. It is usually done by a roll call in which each participant raises their hand when their name is called.