Avoid These Mistakes When Designing Your Board Meeting Agenda

An agenda that is well-planned is crucial for effective meetings. But, a meeting agenda alone doesn’t guarantee a productive discussion or even decisions. To achieve the desired outcomes Board leaders must be aware of the common mistakes that hinder the effectiveness of meetings, and take the necessary steps to avoid them.

A plethora of subjects on the agenda can result in rushed discussions and a lack of time is given for each item. Prioritize your agenda according to the urgency and importance. It is also possible to consider deferring some topics to future meetings of the board or committee to have a more thorough discussion.

Give specific time limits to each agenda item. This will ensure that your board is on track and that all issues are taken into consideration. Be realistic with your estimations of time and examine your previous experiences with meetings that were scheduled to determine what’s feasible within a single meeting.

Distribute the agenda of the board meeting a few days or 24 hour before the meeting. This gives board members the chance to review relevant documents before the meeting. Some organizations also provide an entry sheet for sign-in to verify the attendance of each participant.

Determine clearly how decisions should be made for each item on the agenda, for example by consensus or voting. This will lessen confusion during the discussion. If a topic is controversial or a hot button issue be sure to state that the board will take a unanimous vote instead of having split votes.

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