Directors of non-profit organizations are able to discuss variety of topics at board meetings. They can cover everything from assessing organizational performance to discussing how the organization should move forward with future strategies. Nonprofits Govenda Boardroom depend on board members with diverse backgrounds and expertise in order to steer them towards success.
To have a productive meeting for the board, it is essential that everyone is prepared and have reviewed all relevant documents prior to the meeting. The agenda should be developed collaboratively and shared in advance so that all participants have time to read the documents and prepare for discussions. It is important that the agenda contains enough information for participants to be able to effectively participate.
By establishing clear criteria for decision-making and communicating them to participants and the board, it is possible to align discussions around a common objective. This can prevent divergent discussions that eat up precious time during meetings, and also prevents the board from achieving an agreement or deciding on important issues. Technology tools that allow real-time collaboration make it easy for board members to communicate with one others and share documents, even if they are geographically separated.
The right mix of board members can be a great way to energize meetings and help to create more productive discussions. It is essential to select a mix of optimism and pessimism, a mix of youth and age, and experience with fresh ideas. In addition, changing up the location of meetings or the time of day may energize discussion by energizing the participants and taking them out of their regular routines. Finally, evaluating the quality of meetings at least once per year is essential to make improvements. Give each board member a sticky note and ask them to rate their overall satisfaction of the meeting from + (what is working) to – (what requires improvement).