A well-organized board meeting is a vital element of a good governance. It facilitates an intelligent discussion and makes decisions that will propel your organisation forward. It is crucial to have an open and comprehensive discussion, whether the meeting involves discussion of strategic goals, program successes and challenges and/or significant legal issues. Meetings that are well-planned and have a clear agenda and clear communication of the decision-making processes will be efficient and efficient.

1. Ensure that the agenda is distributed prior to the meeting and made available to all attendees.

Nothing derails an effective board meeting more than members in a rush to review crucial materials as they are discussed or, even more important, having no access to the material prior to the meeting. This is avoided by disseminating all materials and the agenda at least 3-4 days prior to the meeting.

2. Begin the meeting on time.

It is important to start the meeting in time. Board members will be more engaged if they show up prepared. You can accomplish this by making sure that all pertinent materials are in the agenda, and by restricting discussion topics to the most important for the meeting. It could also be beneficial Get the facts to have the meeting outside of the boardroom, like at a conference site or breakfast, to give a change of scenery and stimulate discussions and ideas.