Board meetings are a chance for board members to give valuable feedback on the development of a business. Board meetings are also a chance for members to build camaraderie and trust.
A successful board meeting begins by clearly stating the meeting objectives before the board meets. This means the distribution of a board document that contains all the necessary information to conduct the discussion (no need to send more information than is crucial) and creating an agenda that emphasizes what's most important to discuss.
Some boards use Robert's Rules of Order as a guide for conducting their meetings. However, this book isn't necessary for every board. In general, the chair is responsible for ensuring that invitations are distributed in time and that notes are recorded, and all materials needed are distributed to members of the board prior to the meeting.
One of the most common mistakes that companies commit is not preparing and the distribution of their board documents advance. It is crucial to inform the board of meeting objectives to all attendees before the beginning of the board meeting, so directors have a chance to prepare and ask questions before the meeting. This helps you keep your meeting as brief as you can and save time for discussion. If you have an executive member who insists on a long report to be included in the agenda, plan it to run for at least one hour after any break.