Having a board of directors can be an excellent way to make sure that your company is run efficiently and that decisions are taken in an open fair and honest way. But in order for the board to be effective, it’s essential that all members are actively engaged and attending every meeting. A lack of attendance at meetings causes an inefficiency and can lead to a decline of effective leadership. Here are a few suggestions that can help you improve the quality of your board meetings.

Plan ahead: Make sure that the board members have been provided with pertinent documents, such as financial statements, reports and other background information prior to the date of the meeting. This will enable them to be prepared with well-thought-out questions. Sending the information early also gives board members time to review their schedules and make sure they’re able to attend.

Start your meeting on time. Call the meeting to order and confirm the quorum. This will show that the board values everyone’s valuable time.

Create a clear procedure for making decisions: A clearly defined process to make decisions helps keep the discussion focused, and keeps tangents from distracting or derailing the meeting.

Encourage active participation. It isn’t easy to create a space in which everyone feels at ease sharing their thoughts and ideas. The chairperson has a crucial part to play as they can facilitate participation by inviting input from all sides, and facilitate discussion that is balanced and constructive. They can also establish the ground rules for the discussion in order to encourage short remarks and equal time for everyone.

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