Effective Board Meetings support the vision and management of an organisation. Meeting structure, length and design, agenda, and preparation for board members are all key factors in maximizing the effectiveness of board meetings. In addition, meeting notes along with follow-up for action items and decision-making implementation are crucial to documenting the institution’s memory and ensuring a clear record of board decisions (BoardEffect).
A regular schedule of board meetings provides an outline to help the board to discuss and decide on strategic issues that are important to the success of the company in the long-term. A well-planned agenda for board meetings that is streamlined in its distribution is the foundation of productive sessions. Board members must be provided with meeting materials with plenty of time to review and prepare for discussions.
The first item at any board meeting should be brief overview and a update on the organization’s performance since the last meeting. This is a good time to highlight major milestones and accomplishments and to discuss areas for improvement.
The board should then consider strategies and choose the implementation plan that will proceed. The board should also develop concrete metrics to assess the success of these plans, including tangible key performance indicators that align with organizational goals.