Leading Effective Board Meetings
Before meeting:
- Why have a meeting?
- (decision-making, problem-solving, planning, evaluation)
- What are desired outcomes?
- Who is responsible for each item?
- Confirm environment and equipment
- Room arrangement
- To give information > Auditorium style
- To get participation > Circle
- Combination > Horseshoe
- Prepare agenda
- Considerations
- All items relate to mandate?
- Are items for action?
- Agenda clear?
- Location agenda?
- Considerations
- Specifics
- Start and end time for meeting
- Start and end time for each item?
- Require business items (motions) be submitted in advance
- Assign tasks
- Distribute meeting packet
- Distribute agenda in advance
- Ensure everyone on agenda knows role
During meeting:
- Call to order on time
- Stay focused using agenda
- Focus on substance, not form
- End meeting/each item on time
- Use unanimous consent, when possible
- Use consent agenda, if possible
- Encourage participation/equalize participation
- Propmt comments, if necessary
- Control interruptions and digressions
- "Park" digressions
- "Deflate windbags"
- Clarify and rephrase
- Manage conflict
- Ensure decisions/assignments clear
- More formal procedure if larger group (12+)
- More formal procedure depending on controversy/importance
- Close the meeting on time
- Close the meeting positively
Problem areas:
- Rambling member (“park digressions”)
- Dominating member (“deflate windbags”)
- Argumentative member
- Discouraging member
- Argument between two members
- Side conversations
- Non-participating member
Articles are intended to provide general information and are not legal advice or a legal opinion. Specific questions should be directed to an attorney at Law Firm Carolinas or to another lawyer.
