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The efficiency of a board meeting can have a significant effect on the success of your organization. Board members are accountable for the company’s future, requiring them to engage in a highly constructive setting which facilitates discussion and decision-making.

The setting of realistic goals and timeframes for each meeting is the first step in ensuring that meetings go smoothly. Circulate the agenda well ahead of time, including estimated discussion times for each item. This ensures that crucial topics are not put on the back burner, and that items that are less important receive sufficient attention. Board members are also able to read through the information ahead of time which makes it easier for them to ask intelligent questions and participate in productive discussions.

Examine the availability of board members for each meeting. This includes their schedules, family obligations, and work commitments. The time and location of each meeting can make a an enormous difference in the number of attendees and engagement. Make sure to select a time at which the majority of your board members are available.

It is important to ensure that the agenda contains all key items for discussion and that the meeting starts at the right time. This will help to increase the energy and prevent the participants from becoming distracted or exhausted.

Clearly explain the voting procedures and rules to avoid confusion and misinterpretation. Facilitate active participation by leveraging various participation strategies, such as breakout sessions, brainstorming exercises and role-playing scenarios. Utilize visual aids to assist in understanding and aligning participant’s perspectives. Conduct evaluations of the meeting, and review the actions items that were discussed afterwards to identify areas in need of improvement. These evaluations will allow your board to continue to improve and increase the effectiveness of its operations.