How you open a board meeting can be an opportunity to establish the mood for a productive and efficient session. This can be accomplished by clearly stating the purpose of the meeting and setting deadlines for agenda items. This will ensure that the board can meet its objectives at every meeting and avoids wasting time on unimportant issues.

To make the most of every minute, begin the meeting at the right time. To accomplish this, prioritize the most important issues that need to be discussed and make sure that all participants have the background materials they need. Give a detailed agenda with pertinent information prior to http://electronicboardportal.net/types-of-boards-and-board-members-categories/ the meeting and include all board documents that are required including minutes of the previous meeting as well as financial reports, committee presentations, project updates and proposals.

Make sure that the discussion is focused on areas of high priority that are aligned to the strategic plan and that can are able to manage the risk. Limit lengthy reports and other routine business to only a quarter of the time so that the remaining time can be devoted to discussions on strategies. To help with this, board members should be encouraged to share brief bullet points describing the essential information they need to know instead of reading lengthy reports.

Address the organization’s performance since the last meeting, including the most significant milestones and areas in which there is room for improvement. The board then has the option of deciding whether to implement strategies that will help to boost growth and overcome obstacles. It is also a good time to review the upcoming board elections and offer any orientation or training to new members.