Board meetings are important because the decisions made by your board, which usually require a majority or even unanimous agreement and can have a major impact on your company. There are a lot constraints, but they’re not as hard as you may think.
A successful board meeting will require much preparation and planning before the meeting. If your board members don’t feel prepared, they might struggle to conduct meaningful discussions during the meeting. This could result in your decision-making process being slowed down or even derailed. Send out your board packs at least a few days before the meeting to avoid this.
The chair of your board will go over the ground rules at beginning of the meeting. This should be discussed with attendees (e.g. how long a discussion should last or how to make an informed decision). This will help everyone learn the rules, and create an atmosphere of positivity.
The following part of the meeting typically involves reports being presented. This may include financial statements, progress reports or any other pertinent information. The chair of the board will call out each member to ensure that there is a quorum.
In this phase the board can also discuss and examine the minutes of the board’s previous meeting. When they are completed and approved, they will be reviewed by the entire board. Afterward, any announcements or updates that are relevant to the current meeting can be made public. The presiding officer may close the meeting or call it off.