A board of directors is a fantastic way to ensure that your business will be run efficiently and decisions made in a fair, transparent manner. But in order for the board to be effective, it’s vital that all members are actively engaged and attending every meeting. A lack of attendance to meetings leads to a loss of productivity and can lead to a decline of effective leadership. Here are some suggestions to improve your board meetings.

Plan ahead: Make sure that all board members have received the appropriate information, such as reports, financial statements, and background materials prior to the day of the meeting. This will allow them to be prepared with well-thought-out questions. In addition, sending the information ahead of time gives board members time to check their schedules, and ensure they are free to attend.

Start your meeting on time. The meeting should be called to start and confirm quorum. This will show the board that it values everyone’s time.

Set up a clear decision-making procedure A clear decision-making process keeps the discussion focused and prevents tangents that can distract or disrupt the meeting.

Encourage active participation: Creating an environment that is comfortable for all members sharing their ideas and opinions can be difficult. Chairpersons can play an important role in encouraging participation by soliciting input from both sides and facilitating an open and constructive discussion. They can also establish ground guidelines for discussion to encourage short remarks and equal time for all participants.

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