Conducting a Board of Directors Meeting
The process of conducting a board of directors meeting isn’t easy and can be complicated, especially when there are multiple perspectives to consider. A board needs to reach an agreement on many issues which can be a challenge when certain members take on more of a vocal role while others are not as involved. It can also be difficult to keep discussions on the right track and on time, especially if the board runs over its time limit.
A well-planned agenda and a well-organized procedure for distribution of board documents are essential to run a successful board meeting. To ensure that every member of the board is aware of all the information needed for participation, the best practice is for the board’s management to create a «board document» ahead of time and share it with everyone three to four days before the meeting. This gives directors the opportunity to discuss key details with their peers and ask questions prior to the board’s meeting, allowing the majority of the meeting to be spent on strategic discussions.
A clear method for making decisions is also essential to an effective meeting of the board. It is helpful to clearly state the process for making decisions by consensus or voting and set a timeframe for the moment when decisions are made. Taking the time to define this will help ensure that all perspectives are considered, and also allows for an open discussion during the meeting.
Additionally, it is essential for the board chair to actively facilitate discussions and encourage everyone on the board to be involved. It can be detrimental to the board if a small group of individuals dominates the discussion. This could result in the absence of participation by other members and a lack of effective decisions. To prevent this, at the beginning of a meeting the chair can set rules that encourage short remarks and equal airtime to every board members.
