A well-written agenda for board meetings ensures productive and engaging discussions that focus on the most important issues of the company. A well-written agenda will keep your participants engaged, whether you are meeting in person or virtually.
An effective agenda begins with an unambiguous and concise calling to order which signifies the beginning of the meeting or other proceedings. This can include a brief announcement of the purpose for the meeting, as well as the name of the chairperson.
The next board meeting agenda should include a short report or presentation from the CEO or executive director on the company’s current performance and the most important initiatives. It is also beneficial to include a section for committee reports from the finance, governance and nominating committees when necessary.
Set aside time for guest presentations or open forums that your organization might be hosting. You should also leave room for announcements of any kind or felicitatory remarks. Also, you should leave room for future business issues that need to be discussed or followed-up on.
It is common for people to be sidetracked by new topics of discussion, which could result in your meeting losing momentum. Be sure you include parking space at the end of your agenda, where you can put forward new ideas to further discussion. Include an estimate of the time each topic will take to be discussed. This will allow you to avoid running over the schedule for board meetings. To keep your agenda on course, if you’re not able to decide on an item at the image source board’s meeting, move it to the next one.
