How to Conduct Board Meetings

The manner in which board meetings are run has a major impact on the quality of the discussions and the effectiveness of the meetings. It is important to have clear expectations regarding the manner in which meetings are conducted and how they are conducted.

In general, board meetings should not be dominated by reading reports. Instead committee chairs should look over their reports prior to the time board room of the meeting and present them at the meeting. The board then has the opportunity to discuss each report and the information contained in it within the context of the larger goals of the business.

Board members need to be able to communicate openly and freely in order to have productive conversations. This also means they must respect the rights of others to speak in turn. Although there are some exceptions interfering with other board members is generally regarded as unacceptable.

It is a common omission to bring up a problem or topic for discussion without a clear idea of what the board should be doing. This can cause the discussion to feel a bit stale and unproductive. Begin with a general plan and let everyone consider the pros and cons.

Having a board secretary or another knowledgeable person take notes during meetings can ensure that important information is not lost. However, it is essential to clearly communicate the process by which the board comes to its decision–whether it is through consensus or by voting. Also, who is responsible for preparing the minutes.