The way the board meetings are run has an important influence on how productive and informative the discussions are. It is important to have clear expectations of the way meetings are conducted and how they will be conducted.
In general, board meetings should not be dominated by reading from reports. Instead, the chairs of committees should review their reports in advance and present them at the time of the meeting. The board then has the opportunity to discuss each report, and the information contained within it in relation to the company’s goals.
For effective discussions, board members need to be able speak freely and without fear. However, this also means that they have to respect the rights of others to speak at their own pace. Although there are exceptions however, interrupting other board members boardroomate.com/best-ways-to-conduct-your-board-meetings-like-the-pros/ is generally thought to be in poor manner.
A common error is to bring up a question or issue to be discussed without having a clear plan about what the board should do. This can cause the discussion to feel a bit stale and unproductive. Start with a general notion and let everyone weigh the pros and cons.
A board secretary or another knowledgeable person to take notes during meetings can help ensure that important information is not lost. It is essential to communicate clearly how the board will make its decisions, whether it is by consensus or voting and who is responsible for the preparation of minutes.