Whether you’re managing an existing board or preparing your first one, you’ll need to set your organization up for success with the right procedure. This article outlines general guidelines for board meetings that will aid in organizing meetings efficiently and ensure that all the important issues are discussed.
Board members should read the board documents in advance and ask questions. This is a vital step to ensure that meetings are on track and focused. If you permit members to ask questions that aren’t answered in the board’s document it will slow the meeting down and make it harder to complete the agenda items that are most important. Additionally, members must be prepared to disclose any potential conflicts of interests that could influence the discussion.
The chair of the board should begin the meeting by highlighting the primary issues of the meeting as well as the highlights from the meetings that were held prior to the meeting and the board package. This helps to orient all attendees and draw them into the discussions.
When a motion has been proposed and the board members discuss the subject in accordance with strict rules regarding who can speak and the length of their speeches. This ensures that all views are considered equally and the board can come to a consensus. It is important to respect the opinions of other members during debates by not interrupting and critiquing speakers directly.
After the discussion after the discussion, the board votes on the motions and decides what next step to take. Then the company secretary writes up the minutes of the board’s meeting and sends them to all the attendees. The minutes can be ratified at the next board meeting, or changed if needed.