Board meetings are when the board debates strategies to help the organization grow. It is crucial that every board member feels that their time and expertise are appreciated, and that discussion is focused on the issues that are most relevant to their role. To ensure that conversations are focussed, it’s helpful to have a few essential guidelines in place to make the meeting more efficient.
Prior to the board meeting, distribute the agenda to all of the attendees. This allows them to familiarize themselves with the material and prepare for the discussion during the meeting. This also allows them to express their opinions on the documents prior to the meeting, which helps to ensure all relevant details are covered at the meeting.
It is crucial to establish clear goals for every discussion and to be clear about what you hope each discussion will achieve. This will prevent the board from wasting time. A board might be aiming to discuss future strategies in a meeting. But if the goal is not clear, the board could continue to discuss the past and current strategies, which can unnecessarily delay the process of making decisions.
When discussing strategies, it is essential to define key performance indicators (KPIs) which will help you determine whether or not your strategy is working. KPIs are varied, but common examples include retention rates for donors or clients and staff turnover rates and the amount of revenue you have earned. These metrics will aid the board to make quick and effective decisions during meetings.
