A board meeting is where the highest level management and other stakeholders meet to discuss crucial issues and make decisions. A successful board meeting requires efficient leadership, clear and concise agendas and a set of procedures to efficiently discuss and approve items.
Getting Started
The presiding officer opens the meeting by properly calling the meeting to order at the scheduled start time and greeting the participants. The board secretary then reads the minutes of the last meeting as well as the current agenda to ensure that everyone is on the right page. The board will also have the an opportunity to request additions or amendments to the materials. The board then has to approve the agenda and minutes to continue.
Old Business
The board considers any unresolved issues that were discussed at the previous meeting, but not yet ratified or any items that were delayed. They can also discuss any new issues that arise during the meeting.
Reports of officers and committees
Then the presiding officer typically will read the committee and officer reports to provide the board with information on where finances and projects stand. It is recommended to distribute the reports in advance so that board members have the opportunity to examine them and ask questions.
Next, the board discusses the organization’s performance to assess how well it’s doing and which areas require improvement. This is a great time to discuss future strategies to encourage growth. The board may also discuss any obstacles that may be preventing progress.
