It’s not easy to ensure that everyone’s viewpoint is heard and considered when you have a diverse group of members on your board. The more your board members feel that their time and knowledge is right here being valued and respected, the more engaged they’ll be in discussions. This is why thoughtfully making the agenda, planning it early for distribution, smart timing as well as easy access to all resources goes a long way.
It is important to have a communication channel open with your board members, even if you’re not in a formal meeting. It can prevent bad news or other issues from being discussed for the first time in an event and can help to foster cohesion among directors. Allowing short interruptions in the meeting room could help to keep meetings productive.
Limiting the topics addressed during a board meeting is an excellent way to boost the efficiency of meetings. Prioritizing two key issues for each meeting helps to keep the discussion focused and allows for more meaningful conversations.
Board members are often annoyed when a discussion goes off-topic or is led by a single person. It can be extremely frustrating especially if the board member had spent time preparing the agenda only to find that their attention is being diverted by other unrelated topics.
Encourage committee chairs and officers prior to the meeting, to distribute brief summaries of lengthy reports in bullet points. This will free up time for strategic discussion without the need to have board members sit through detailed presentations.