A board of directors is a fantastic method to ensure that your business is run efficiently and decisions made in a fair and transparent manner. But for the board to be effective, it’s vital that all members are involved and are present at every meeting. Poor meeting attendance causes an inefficiency and can lead to a decline of effective leadership. Here are some tips that can assist you in improving your board of directors meetings.
Plan ahead: Make sure that all board members receive pertinent information such as reports, financial statements and my company background materials prior to the meeting, so that they are prepared to take part with thoughtful questions. Sending information early gives board members the opportunity to review their schedules to make sure they can attend.
Start your meeting promptly. Call the meeting to order and confirm quorum. This will demonstrate to the board that it respects everyone’s time.
Create a clear procedure for making decisions: A clearly defined process for making decisions helps keep the discussion focused, and helps to prevent diverting or causing disruption to the meeting.
Encourage active participation: Creating a space that is comfortable for all members sharing their views and experiences can be a challenge. Chairpersons can play a major role in promoting participation by soliciting input from both sides and helping to facilitate a balanced and constructive discussion. They can also set ground rules for the discussion in order to encourage concise comments and equal time for all participants.
