The preparation for board meetings is a time-consuming task that requires coordination of meetings with everyone, communicating key details and, perhaps more important, creating a dynamic strategic agenda for the board prior to the meeting. The right agenda can lead to productive discussions that will help you make effective decisions and meet your organization’s goals. The wrong one can cause a dog’s breakfast comprising a multitude of items which leaves little time for thoughtful discussions and progress on crucial issues.
Boards should structure agendas so that they begin with long-term plans and end with operational topics such as policies and procedures. This can prevent the tyranny of urgent issues from taking over and distracting board members and keeps them focused on what’s feasible within the confines of one meeting.
In the ideal scenario, you should allocate an appropriate amount of time to every item on your agenda for your board meeting. This will prevent your meeting from going over time and ensure that each subject receives the proper amount of discussion for the desired outcome.
It is also beneficial to include a section titled ‘Nil’ on your agenda for board meetings for any items that are not strategically relevant or require additional clarification. This heading can trigger other directors to raise new questions that are strategic and worthy of discussion. It can also help to remind board members of the reason’ they are serving the organization (i.e. its mission) to my response bring their attention back to the larger goals.