The way the board meetings are conducted can greatly impact the quality of the discussion and the effectiveness of the meetings. It is essential to establish clear expectations for how meetings should function and how they are conducted.

Generally speaking the board meetings should not be dominated by reading reports. Instead, the chairs of committees should go over their reports prior to the meeting and present the reports at the time of the boardroomate.com/advantages-of-paperless-board-meetings/ meeting. The board can then discuss each report and the information contained in it in relation to the overall goals of the company.

For effective conversations board members must be able speak freely and openly. However, this also means that they must respect the rights of others to speak at their own pace. Interrupting other board members, while there are exceptions, is generally thought to be bad form.

It is a common omission to bring an issue or topic to discuss without a clear suggestion of what the board should be doing. This can cause the discussion to feel a bit stale and unproductive. Instead, start with a general plan of action, and then let everyone discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each idea.

A board secretary or another experienced person to take notes during the meeting will help ensure that important information is not lost. It is also crucial to clearly communicate how the board will reach its decisions, whether through consensus or voting, and who is responsible for the preparation of the minutes.