HOW TO HOST A SUCCESSFUL BOARD MEETING
The board meeting was only at the 30-minute mark, but a quick look around and you would notice that eyes were already starting to droop. Before the meeting, board members were treated to a sumptuous lunch, and the rich food was adding to their sleepiness. Two other board members were supposed to join via Zoom, but technology issues caused their voices to be muted and fuzzy. The board chair looked around the room and wondered if it was worth addressing the important issues later in the agenda. Do any of these issues sound familiar to you?
Board meetings are the backbone of effective governance. They provide directors with the opportunity to make strategic decisions, monitor compliance, and hold management accountable. Yet, many boards struggle with meetings that drag on, lose focus, or fail to achieve their objectives. Often, the problem is not with the agenda itself, but with logistics.
Think about it. Have you ever lost focus during a meeting because the meeting room was too cold (or too hot)? Or because you were hungry? No one can focus on EBITDA when it’s been hours since his or her last meal.
Choosing the right date, time, and location is important to ensure sufficient attendance, and paying attention to the smaller details, such as meeting length, the meeting room, and feeding the board, is important to ensure that the materials you have worked so hard on can be received by attentive and engaged board members. This guide outlines the practical steps every organization should take to host efficient, engaging, and productive board meetings.
Step 1. Choosing the Right Location
This is one of aspect of the meeting organization that directly impacts attendance and engagement. For national or international boards, consider how much time and money members will spend on traveling. Rotate venues occasionally to share the travel burden and where possible, introduce hybrid or virtual options to save time and costs.
For local boards, on-site meetings in your office can connect directors with staff. Where office space is limited, off-site venues such as universities, hospitals, libraries, hotels can provide a professional setting and reinforce the organization’s mission.
If you change your meeting location, be sure to give your members plenty of notice. You can and should use off-site meetings as an opportunity to have “mission moments” that demonstrate the organization’s impact such as hosting in a community your organization serves.
Step 2. Schedule for Maximum Participation
Board members are very busy people, and finding dates and times that work for everyone can be quite the challenge. Timing is thus one of the biggest determinants of attendance.
Here’s what we recommend:
• Plan meetings at least one year in advance.
• Avoid religious holidays, school breaks, and peak vacation periods.
• Consider the commitments of your board – whether members are executives, students, or managing family obligations.
• Use scheduling tools to identify the best options for the majority.
• Alternate timing when possible, to accommodate members with different constraints. If some members are not able to compromise, stick with the schedule that accommodates the majority to ensure maximum attendance. Don’t forget to solicit additional feedback as time goes by, as the composition of your board changes.
Step 3. Create the Right Meeting Environment
Whether it’s a cold room, an awkward table set up, or hunger pangs, the smallest details can impact the attentiveness of board members at a meeting
• Meeting Length
If a board meeting is too short, members may feel like their time is being wasted and important items are missed. If it is too long, you may lose momentum and attention towards the end. If your board meets monthly, one hour may suffice. However, if you only meet a few times a year, meetings could take a full day (or more). It’s important to match the length of the meeting to the purpose. For example, annual retreats or strategic workshops require more time.
• Preparation and Facilitation
The agenda determines the length of the meeting, so be sure that everything on the agenda is necessary. Make sure to circulate board packs at least one week in advance for members to prepare adequately. Coming well prepared to board meetings is not only an essential board responsibility but helps board meetings run smoothly.
The Board Chair’s role is to lead and facilitate the meeting. He/She should be able to keep the agenda on track and balance participation by ensuring that everyone is appropriately engaged.
• Meeting Room Setup Food
Most meeting rooms have a rectangular table setup as the norm because it is ideal for facilitating productive conversation. Placing the chairperson at the head and the CEO alongside is appropriate for smooth facilitation. If the meeting is a hybrid meeting, the rule of thumb is to test technology, sound, and lighting in advance.
Food
Whether food should be provided at a board meeting is determined by the timing of the meeting. Light breakfast for morning meetings, lunch for midday sessions, and dinner only if meetings extend into the evening. Companies often forget to track dietary preferences or allergies of board members, ensure that is done to avoid exclusions.
👉 Want to learn more about running effective board meetings? Visit our website to explore additional insights on meeting facilitation, board dynamics, and governance best practices. At Scribe Advisory, we partner with organizations to strengthen corporate governance and support boards in making impactful decisions.