A board meeting agenda is a document that can aid you in keeping your meetings productive and on track. The importance of substance over fashion when it comes down to maximizing the amount of time your board members must work together.
Begin with a call for order and an introduction from the facilitator or board board meeting schedule chair to officially begin your meeting. The next step is to take a vote on the minutes of the previous meeting or the financial report. You could also review committee updates or other administrative tasks. In the next step, it’s recommended to create a separate section for discussions on strategic planning or other governance-related issues. You might also include an executive session for sensitive or confidential topics when it’s permitted by the organization’s bylaws as well as applicable laws.
Throughout the meeting, make sure to pay attention attentively to every item. If you have questions or concerns about any aspect of the presentation make sure you raise them and allow your fellow board members to respond. Be cautious not to wander off topic and discuss issues which aren’t listed on the agenda. This can waste time in meetings, and distract attention from the most important issues that are scheduled for your board. It is possible to avoid this by adding an “parking area” item at the bottom of your agenda. This will allow you to push random topics for later.
Last but not least, ensure that you give your board the agenda at least a week prior to the actual meeting. This gives everyone plenty of time to look over the agenda and organize their thoughts prior to the meeting. It is a good idea to include any supporting documents needed by board members in order to comprehend the topic.