The way board meetings are conducted has an important influence on how productive and insightful the discussions are. It is crucial to have clear expectations regarding the way meetings are conducted and how they are conducted.
In general, board meetings should not be dominated by reading from reports. Instead, the chairpersons of committees should review their reports prior to https://www.boardroomate.com/how-to-improve-board-performance/ the meeting and present them at the time of the meeting. The board will then be able to discuss each report and the information it contains in the context of the larger goals of the company.
Board members should be able to talk openly and freely in order to have productive conversations. This means that board members must respect others’ rights to speak. Although there are exceptions, interrupting other board members is generally regarded as unacceptable.
A common error is to present a problem or issue for discussion without a clear suggestion on what the board ought to do. This can cause the discussion to feel stale and long. Start with a general idea and let everyone consider the pros and cons.
Having a board secretary or another knowledgeable person take notes during the meeting could assist in ensuring that crucial information is not lost. It is crucial to clearly communicate how the board will make its decisions, whether via consensus or voting and who is responsible for the preparation of minutes.