Effective Board Meetings help to support the strategic direction and governance of an organisation. Meeting structure, length and design, agenda, and preparation for board members are all crucial factors in maximizing the effectiveness of board meetings. Minutes of meetings along with action item execution and decision implementation, are also important for documenting institutional memory.
A regular schedule of board meetings will provide an outline to help the board consider and discuss strategic issues that are important for the organization’s success in the long-term. A well-planned agenda for board meetings that is streamlined in its distribution is the base of productive sessions. It is essential that all board members are provided with the meeting materials well ahead of time to give them sufficient time to review them and prepare for discussions.
The first item at every board meeting should be brief overview and status reports of the organization’s progress since the last meeting. This is a great opportunity to recognize milestones and major achievements and discuss areas for improvement.
The board should then deliberate on strategies and determine an action plan to move forward. The board should also establish specific metrics to evaluate the success of these strategies, such as key performance indicators that are quantifiable and aligned with the mission of the company.