An effective agenda for a board meeting sets the tone and ensures the meeting achieves its goals. It provides a logical flow of topics, and also provides the opportunity to discuss new ideas. Sticking to the agenda items will prevent off-topic discussions and ensure that all important issues are given sufficient attention. The order in which the agenda items also reflects the importance each topic plays to the success of the organization.
Begin by addressing first the most difficult subjects. This method helps to energize the board, keeps their minds fresh, and makes them feel better prepared to tackle other important subjects.
During this section, key department and committee leaders share relevant updates and reports. The executive director usually gives the first report which is followed by any other relevant committee reports. Sharing these reports provides the board a comprehensive view of the organization’s health and helps them align their actions with their strategic objectives.
Board members are often able to bring new insights to discussions. Unexploring these insights could result in wasted opportunities and poor decision-making. On the agenda is this open floor session encourages engagement and brings in a variety of perspectives to contribute to well rounded outcomes.
It is recommended to allocate a certain amount of time to each agenda item, depending on the size of your board. This helps to limit discussions that are too long and lets you know whether you need to delay or move the item to another committee. This is particularly useful in situations that are time-sensitive and require a quick decision.
