Effective Board Meetings help to bring businesses closer to their goals and bring in expertise as well as fostering collaboration and decision-making. In order to conduct effective meetings Board members must prioritise the management of time and have a vision that is focused on the future. Board members must also be aware of how meeting duration and design affect their effectiveness.

Meetings that are too long, chaotic or confusing can take up time. This is often because of a lack of preparedness or inadequate executive team support for the board portal. Board members might not be aware of their roles and dissuaded from taking part in discussions that do not have to do with the agenda. On the other hand, a board meeting that finishes too early may indicate that the board has become a rubber stamper and is not questioning any decisions taken.

Board meetings should always be accompanied by an agenda that is concise and clear, distributed well in advance of the meeting outlining the topic of each discussion and the important issues to be addressed. The chair of the board should serve as facilitator of the meeting, leading the discussion to ensure all pertinent issues are addressed within the allotted time.

A productive Board meeting usually results in a list with to-dos and actions to be completed before the next meeting. This could mean preparing for the meeting by reading documents, analyzing topics, and creating thoughtful questions or proposals. The board should also encourage accountability among its members by making sure they follow up on all actions taken and decisions taken at previous meetings.

Board Portals