The preparation for a the board meeting is an exhausting task. It involves coordinating the dates with everyone involved, sharing important information, and preparing an agenda that is dynamic for the board in advance. A well-planned agenda for the board will ensure that discussions are productive and will result in effective decision-making and help you achieve your organisation’s goals. An agenda that is not well-planned can cause a dog’s lunch that is packed with multiple items together, leaving no room for discussion and progress on important issues.

Boards should plan their agendas to start with planning for the future and conclude with more operational issues like policies and procedures. This helps keep board members focused on the main purpose https://freshboardroom.com/how-to-run-a-board-meeting/ of the meeting, and prevents them from becoming distracted by urgent questions.

It is recommended that you allocate an appropriate amount of time to every item on your agenda for your board meeting. This will prevent your meeting from running over time and ensure that every topic gets the appropriate amount of time to reach the desired outcome.

It is also beneficial to include a “Nil” section on the agenda of your board meeting for any items that aren’t strategically relevant or require further clarification. Including this heading can prompt other directors to bring up new questions that are strategic and worthy of discussion. It is also a way to remind board members of the reason’ (i.e. its mission) they are serving the organisation. This will allow them to focus on the larger goals.