Board meetings are where the board discusses strategies to help their organization grow. It is essential that each board member feels that their time and knowledge are respected, and that the discussion is focused on the subjects that are relevant to their work. It is crucial to keep the conversation focused by applying a few fundamental practices to help the meeting run smoothly.
The agenda is distributed to all attendees before the meeting. This gives them time to familiarize themselves with the documents and prepare for the discussion during the meeting. It also allows them to express their opinions on the documents prior to the meeting, which helps to ensure all pertinent information is covered at the meeting.
It is crucial to establish clear objectives for every topic and to be specific about what you hope each discussion will accomplish. This will help save the board time. For instance, a group might discuss future strategies as a part of their agenda during a meeting, however when the objective isn’t clear, the board might continue to talk about strategies from the past and delay the decision making process.
When discussing strategic plans it is crucial to establish KPIs (key performance indicators) that will help you determine whether or not your strategies are working. KPIs can be different among them, but some of the most common examples include donor or client retention or turnover rates for staff and acquired revenue. These metrics will aid the board to make quick and effective decisions during meetings.