The manner in which board meetings are run can have a significant impact on the quality of the discussion and how effective they are. It is essential to have clear expectations regarding how meetings will function and how they are conducted.
In general, board meetings should not be overrun by reading reports. Instead committee chairs should go over their reports ahead of time and present them during the meeting. The board will then discuss each report and the information contained in it within the context of the larger goals of the company.
To have productive discussions board members should be able to speak freely and without fear. But, this also means that they must respect the rights of others to speak in turn. Although there are some exceptions interruptions to other board members is generally considered unacceptable.
A common error is to present a problem or issue for discussion without having a clear idea regarding what the board must do. This can make the conversation seem stale and boring. Start with a general idea and let everyone weigh the pros and cons.
It is important to ensure that the crucial information is not missed by having a board secretary, or a different experienced person to take notes at the meeting. It is important to communicate clearly how the board will make its decisions, whether via consensus or voting and who is responsible for the preparation of the minutes.
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