A well-designed agenda for board meetings is a must-have tool for effective meetings. However, an agenda alone will not guarantee productive discussions or even decisions. Board leaders need to be aware of the most common errors that can hamper the effectiveness of meetings to get the desired results.
Too many issues on the agenda can lead to rushed discussions and insufficient time for each item. To prevent this from happening, prioritize items by importance and urgency. Also, take into consideration whether certain topics can be deferred to committee sessions or future board meetings for a deeper exploration.
Set time limits for each item on the agenda. This will ensure that your board stays on the right track and all issues are considered. You must be realistic about your time estimates. Look at past meetings that ran on time and decide what you could accomplish in a single meeting.
Share the board meeting agenda at least a few days, or at least 24 hours, before the meeting. This allows board members to review relevant documents prior to the meeting. Some organizations include the sign-in form in order to confirm attendance.
Clarify how the decision-making process will be carried out for each agenda item, such as through consensus or vote. This will prevent confusion and miscommunication during discussion. For example, if a topic is controversial, it is important to make clear that the board will make an unanimity decision instead of a split vote.
