Preparing for your board’s meeting is a process that takes time. The most successful boards are serious about their meetings, and they make sure that they run smoothly. They plan meetings well in advance to ensure that board members have enough time to accept (and sometimes, negotiate) their agendas. Board members are extremely busy and can be on multiple other boards and teams. Therefore, coordinating with them and their assistants in order to ensure that they attend the board meeting is essential.
Another crucial aspect of preparing for your board meeting is to make sure that you have all of the necessary materials ready prior to the board meeting. Send out the finalized agenda and board materials about a week prior to the meeting. This will allow Board members to read and absorb the materials so that they can ask questions when they come to your board meeting.
It is a good idea to conduct a couple of quick calls prior to the board meeting to ensure organizing and preparing for your board meeting that your board members are well-prepared. This will enable you to quickly deal with any issues that might occur, like when there are slides that have been updated which need to be distributed prior to the meeting.
A few minutes of reflection on why you are on the board is a great idea. This will help you stay focused on the board’s agenda and ensure that you cover all the relevant subjects.
