A successful board meeting requires thorough preparation, planning and sharing agenda items before the meeting. It also requires a focus on the topic of discussion and clear recording and documentation of the decisions and actions taken. This ensures a productive meeting and a dependable follow-up that brings companies closer to their goals.

It’s important to familiarize yourself with the knowledge, interests and expectations of each member of the board to ensure that your meetings be as efficient and productive as you can. This knowledge allows you to customize agenda items and encourages active participation. Knowing the members of your board will help you determine the most appropriate time to hold meetings and also provides a convenient venue for discussions.

Making sure that board meetings are kept at a minimum to ensure efficiency and effectiveness, therefore prioritizing the most important issues is crucial. As a general rule limit the number issues that are discussed at the course of a meeting to 2 per one hour. Each topic should be given 8 tips for running a successful board meeting at least 30 minutes. If the organization is in trouble or is struggling, it’s best to focus on discussing the future plans and hopes rather than presenting updates.

All documents (including committee reports, staff reports and Board packs as well as any documents that contextualize upcoming decisions) must be easily accessible and available prior to the meeting to increase Board engagement. Make sure all these materials are uploaded on your board portal, and available to the Board prior to the meeting, and at the meeting.