The process of preparing for board meetings can be a tedious task that requires coordinating meetings with everyone involved, communicating important information and, perhaps most important, drafting a dynamic agenda for the board in advance. A well-planned agenda for the board will ensure that discussions are productive and lead to effective decisions and help you reach the goals of your organization. A bad agenda can result in a dog’s meal of multiple items crammed in together, leaving no room for generative discussions and progress on crucial issues.
Boards should structure agendas so they begin with long-term plans and then end with operational topics such as policies and procedures. This keeps board members focused on the main purpose of the meeting and stops them from getting distracted by pressing issues.
The ideal scenario is to allocate a certain amount of time for each item on your agenda. This will prevent your meeting from going over time and ensure that each subject receives the proper amount of discussion to achieve the desired result.
It is also helpful to include a “Nil” section on your agenda for board meetings for any items that aren’t strategically relevant or require additional https://freshboardroom.com/how-to-run-a-board-meeting/ clarification. Incorporating this heading could encourage other directors to bring up new and strategic questions for discussion. It can also serve to remind board members of ‘why they’re serving the organization (i.e., its mission) as a way to reorient their attention to the broader agenda.