Running a successful board meeting requires a dynamic agenda that is a mix of updates and discussions. But http://www.digitalboardarea.net/how-to-hire-a-good-company-secretary/ how can you ensure that the board is engaging in discussions that are designed to develop strategies that move the business forward instead of just discussing information that already has been disseminated?
Prioritizing the most important issues of discussion at the top is essential. This will help the leadership to get meetings moving by engaging in the hefty discussion early. It will also establish a precedence that the meeting is more than a mere recital of reports. This will help mitigate the tendency to be distracted by new topics, and waste time on activities that can be put off until future meetings or incorporated into appendices to the board book.
After the board has discussed the organization’s strategy and reached a consensus the next step will be to formulate an action plan. This will include identifying concrete metrics that are aligned to the objectives, such as a net Promoter Score, levels of customer satisfaction and retention regional sales, or employee turnover.
During the discussion, it’s important that the board consider the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy. This will help ensure that everyone understands the principles they accept and that the decisions taken will have a positive effect on the business. It is important to establish an environment that respects board members, so they feel comfortable speaking their minds and challenging the dominant ideas in a respectful manner.