An agenda for board meetings is a roadmap that sets the tone and structure of discussions during your board meetings. A well-planned agenda for meetings can aid you in avoiding common pitfalls which can lead to poor decision making and derail productivity.
The first item on the agenda of a board’s meeting should be “Calling to Order and time”. The chairperson should call the board to start the meeting and introduce new members, or give other opening remarks. This is also the time to discuss any modifications to the agenda and accept the minutes of previous meetings.
Each item on the agenda for a board meeting should contain a brief description of what’s expected during the discussion and a brief description of any supporting materials. Inputting this information in advance saves time during the meeting and ensures everyone is able to access key background material. This helps keep the discussion on track and productive.
Prioritize your agenda items for the board based on relevance to the agenda, urgency and alignment with your strategy goals. This will help you save time by avoiding spending it on topics that are not significant or have no impact. If you have a lot of agenda items to discuss, consider organizing a follow-up or assigning the items to committees that are specialized to look at more deeply.
Also, make sure you set realistic timeframes for each agenda item. This stops discussions from running over time and allows you to adjourn the meeting in a timely manner. It is important to remember that these times are just guidelines, and that it’s acceptable to modify them as needed during the meeting. It might be beneficial to give more time to your board next time they have a lot of questions on specific topics.
