A board of directors meeting is a great opportunity to have your company’s leaders debate the future of the company, take important decisions and create the policies of the company. The success of your meetings depends on the quality of your discussions as well as the strength of the board’s leadership. Board meetings let you monitor the progress of your company and establish important performance indicators.
A well-organized agenda for your board helps facilitate discussions on the board and keeps the meetings effective, efficient and focused. Directors must be prepared for every board meeting by reading the agenda and board papers distributed prior to the meeting. This is a standard procedure and ensures that each director can participate in productive discussions.
Before the meeting starts the chair should start the meeting by declaring that a quorum is present. This is usually done via a roll-call, which will identify the people who are present to legally conduct business.
The board will then take note of reports from standing committees and special committees. The board members can then discuss the report. The board may need to spend more time on the issue to determine the best solution.
It is essential that directors respect other people’s opinions during discussions. They should avoid using body language, whispering or notes that undermine or denigrate another person’s point of view. Directors should also pay attention and only speak up when they are called upon to speak.
http://www.myboardroom.info/5-points-to-include-in-the-board-information-packs/