Board meeting preparation involves a lot of reading, taking notes, thinking/contemplating, and seeking out and asking for additional information. This improves the overall effectiveness of the board as a decision-making entity and allows them to concentrate their time and energy on strategy and not on procedural matters. This also lessens the anxiety that many directors feel at board meetings that are long and contain lots of information, but do not provide clear actions.
The best way to prepare for a meeting of the board of directors is to go through the agenda ahead of time and pay attention to important items. Review the list of upcoming topics and rank them according to importance, urgency, and aligning with the organization’s strategic goals. To make sure that you have the top priority items, seek input from your CEO or chair of the board. Plan the agenda for the meeting to ensure that key topics are discussed first and in depth. This ensures that the board can be able to leave the meeting with an understanding of the important decisions that need to be made.
Also, make sure to include any updates regarding the action tasks assigned at the previous board meetings and verify that all relevant information was given by the presenters. It is also essential to verify whether all participants are able to access the meeting via video, phone or other online platforms. Send the board packet and agenda to all participants after they’ve been drafted. This should be done at a minimum of a week before the meeting to give participants time to review it and make any necessary changes.
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