Board meetings require careful preparation to ensure that everyone understands the topics they’ll be discussing and the actions that are taken. These tips will help to design a meeting structure that is consistent and yields the best outcomes every time your board meets.

In the lead-up to the meeting it is important to look over the previous minutes from the last board meeting. Also, ask each director to submit any reports or other materials that need to be included on the upcoming agenda. Find out the chairperson’s preferences for the presentation and arrangement in the books for board members. Some prefer a high level of detail and others favor the more conventional « dashboard » approach.

It is best to set aside a couple of key agenda items per meeting in order to avoid clogging up meetings with long reports or other topics that are routine. Also, don’t schedule more than thirty minutes per agenda item to give each topic sufficient time.

It’s also an excellent idea to invite external board members for board meetings, to bring fresh perspectives and new ideas. While it might cost a bit more to bring in independent board members, the advantages of their perspective and other ideas can often be worth the investment.

Also, be sure to make sure to mention the key decisions that are being made during the meeting, so that all directors can clearly be able to identify and either agree or disagree with the decision. It’s also a good idea to assign department heads to each decision, so that they can relay the results of the meeting to their teams.

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