When your board is meeting, you should make sure everyone is prepared. The distribution of meeting materials a minimum of a week before the meeting is a good way to ensure everyone is well-prepared. This gives new and old members a chance to review the agenda and prepare for discussion.
It’s also important to inform your board prior to your meeting. This will allow any bad information to be announced in advance, so that it doesn’t come as an issue at the time of the meeting. It’s also a great time to talk with officers or committees who have reports due at the meeting. It is crucial to establish a a direct line of communication between the board and management particularly when there are urgent issues.
Limit the discussion topics during the meeting to those that are on the agenda. This will allow you to go through each subject in a timely fashion and make sure that the time is effectively utilized.
Don’t be discouraged by disagreements that might occur during certain discussions. Boards that encourage a variety of viewpoints tend to make better decisions than boards that have one view. A little disagreement can be a good thing.
It’s also important to make an effort to review the board’s past decisions at every meeting. This can help you avoid making the same mistakes at future meetings and help you identify areas that could be improved. A record of how decisions were made can also be helpful in the event of disputes in the future.