The way your board conducts its meetings is an important aspect in the efficiency and effectiveness of your board. To maximize the impact of every meeting, establish and maintain clear procedures and policies and ensure that all board members are aware of what is expected from them. This includes establishing clear rules for making decisions, ensuring that you adhere to the guidelines for voting, and clearly logging the outcomes of meetings with accurate minutes.
An agenda that is well-written is the first step toward a productive board meeting. Make time limitations for each agenda item, and think about using visual tools like countdown timers to enable everyone to manage their time efficiently. Avoid covering the agenda with long reports and updates that will bore your board members, and make sure to prioritize the most important issues to be discussed at the top of your agenda.
Communicate clearly how your board makes its decisions. Consensus meetings are ideal, but formal voting is acceptable when it is necessary. Make sure everyone understands the procedure of making decisions prior to every meeting.
A competent board secretary will ensure that your board meeting is a success. Make sure the person responsible for taking notes is well-trained and is a committed member of your board. Check to see that the secretary is noting all pertinent subjects, including the details from the reports of comittees and officers. Then, quickly and accurately summarize all decisions made at the meeting in your minutes of the board and assign the responsibilities for action items and follow-ups.
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