Board meetings are when the board considers strategies to will help their business grow. It is crucial that each board member feels respected for their time and experience and that the discussions remain focussed on the issues most relevant to their participation. It is essential to keep the conversation focused by adopting a few key strategies that can make the meeting run smoothly.
Prior to the board meeting, send the agenda to all the attendees. This gives them time to get familiar with the materials and prepare for their discussion at the meeting. This lets them discuss the documents and express their thoughts in advance.
It is essential to set clear goals for every discussion and be specific about what you would like each discussion to accomplish. This will save the board time. For example, a board may discuss future strategies as a part of their agenda at a meeting, but when the objective isn’t specific, the board could continue to talk about strategies of the past and present and in the process delay the decision-making process.
When discussing strategic board portal plans it is important to assign key performance indicators (KPIs) that will demonstrate whether or not your strategy is a success. KPIs vary in their definition, but some examples are retention of donors or clients as well as the rate of staff turnover and acquired revenue. These metrics can aid the board in making rapid and efficient decisions during meetings.