Leading Effective Boad Meetings
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by
Jim Slaughter, Attorney

BEFORE MEETING:

• Why have meeting?

  • (decision-making, problem-solving, planning, evaluation)

• What are desired outcomes?

• Who is responsible for each item?

• Confirm environment and equipment

• Room arrangement

  • To give information ® Auditorium style

  • To get participation ®  Circle

  • Combination ®  Horseshoe

• Prepare Agenda

  • Considerations

    • All items relate to mandate?

    • Are items for action?

    • Agenda clear?

    • Location on agenda?

  • Specifics

    • Start and end time for meeting

    • Start and end time for each item?

    • Require business items (motions) be submitted in advance

    • Assign tasks

• Distribute meeting packet

• Distribute agenda in advance

• Ensure everyone on agenda knows role

DURING MEETING:

• Call to order on time

• Stay focused using agenda

• Focus on substance, not form

• End meeting/each item on time

• Use unanimous consent, when possible

• Use consent agenda, if possible

• Encourage participation/equalize participation

  • Prompt comments, if necessary

• Control interruptions and digressions

  • “Park” digressions

  • “Deflate windbags”

  • Clarify and rephrase

• Manage conflict

• Ensure decisions/assignments clear

• More formal procedure if larger group (12+)

• More formal procedure depending on controversy/importance

• Close the meeting on time

• Close the meeting positively

PROBLEM AREAS:

• Rambling member (“park digressions”)

• Dominating member (“deflate windbags”)

• Argumentative member

• Discouraging member

• Argument between two members

• Side conversations

• Non-participating member