Effective Board Meetings bring businesses closer to their goals by bringing expertise to the table encouraging collaboration and facilitating the process of making decisions. To conduct effective meetings Board members must prioritise the management of time and have a vision that is focused on the future. Board members should also be aware of the effects that meeting length, design, and rules have on their effectiveness.

Meetings that are long, disorganized or confusing can eat up time. Most often, this is due to a lack of preparedness or inadequate executive team support for the board portal. Board members might not be aware of their responsibilities and are discouraged from taking part in discussions that don’t relate to the agenda. A board meeting that is concluded in a hurry could mean that the board has become a rubber stamper and is not questioned by any decisions that are made.

Board meetings should be organized with a clear agenda that is well-publicized prior to the meeting. The agenda should outline the major points of discussion for each board member, as well as the focus of the meeting. The board chair should act as the facilitator of the meeting, leading the discussion to ensure all pertinent issues are discussed within the allotted timeframe.

A productive Board meeting usually ends with a list of to-do’s and actions that must be taken before the next meeting. This can include preparing for the meeting by examining materials, analyzing topics and developing thoughtful questions or ideas. The board board election should also create an environment of accountability among its members by making sure that they are following up on all action items and decisions from previous meetings.