Board meeting preparation involves a lot of reading, taking notes, thinking/contemplating, and seeking out and asking for additional information. This helps improve the overall effectiveness of the board as a decision-making entity and lets them concentrate their attention and energy on strategy and not on procedural concerns. This can also help reduce the level of frustration that directors feel when they attend meetings which are too long or contain a lot of information and don’t produce clear actions.

The best way to prepare yourself for a meeting of the board of directors is to read the agenda in advance and pay particular attention to the most important topics. Check the agenda for upcoming topics and rank them according to relevance, urgency and alignment with the company’s strategic goals. Inquire from the chair of the board or CEO to further refine and determine the top priorities. Create the agenda for the meeting to ensure that key topics are discussed first and in depth. This will allow the board to leave the meeting with a clear awareness of the crucial decisions to be taken.

Also, make sure to include any updated information on the action items that were discussed during previous board meetings and verify that all relevant information was given by the presenters. It is also essential to verify whether all participants are able to access the meeting via phone, video or other online platforms. Send the board pack and agenda to all participants after they have been finalized. Ideally, this should be done one week prior to the meeting so that participants have ample time to look over and request changes.

i loved this