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Mental Health America

of Hendricks County

Board Meeting Tips

50 Tips for Running a Good Board Meeting (excerpts taken from pages 3-7 of the 1999 Board Member Special Edition)

Dealing with Mission and Goals

1. Agree on the organization’s mission. All need to develop a mission for the organization, all need to follow the mission, all need to keep the mission in mind so everyone is going in the same direction.

2. Clearly define desired outcomes. Everyone should fully understand what the desired outcome should be so it helps prevent endless, free-for-all discussions about different topics. Stay focused.

3. Ensure that everybody is talking about the same things at the same time. Again stay focused. It’s important to clarify the problem or item for discussion, then together move to possible solutions, then talk about action plans to make it happen. All need to move together.

4. Try interest-based bargaining. Keep the center of discussions the goals you share in common. It’s important for all concerned to have the same goals otherwise no final agreement can be obtained.

Advance Preparation

5. Recruit effectively. Explain in detail what is expected from the new board member, including job description and dates of meetings. If they are unable to fulfill the requirements they will then need to resign so a replacement can be found. This is to ensure everyone shows up for meetings.

6. Require advance reading. It’s important for board members to prepare for board meetings ahead of time. For example getting a copy of the Secretary & Treasurer’s reports to them ahead of time saves time during the actual meeting. They can be thinking of the materials and make note of any concerns before the meeting so no time is wasted for reading during the meeting itself.

7. Draft recommendations. It’s helpful to have an executive committee recommendation prepared before hand so that a focus can be presented concerning any major motions. Again this can shortened a meeting and prevent foundling for wording especially if no recommendations come directly from the board.

8. Number and date the pages of board materials. Number and date all handouts for if they become separated one knows immediately at what meeting they were discussed. Store them in a portable notebook that you can immediate spot so it’s easier and quicker to find when preparing to leave for the meeting. Have that notebook personalized so again if the notebooks at the meeting are mixed up you can easily find yours.

Agenda and Scheduling

9. Choose a meeting time convenient for everyone. This can be all but impossible but it’s critical to get all involved. Although meetings should take place on the same time and days of the week it could be helpful to change around so more could attend if there is a large number of members you have to coordinate.

10. Place time limits on the agenda. Clear time frames are essential. Be flexible enough to expand time if a meaningful issue arises. Just don’t clock watch.

11. Drop the standard format. It may not be necessary to follow the tradition format; minutes, treasurer’s report, committee reports, old then new business, executive report. It may be time worthy to follow function that quickly leads to accomplishing goals.

12. Consider consent agendas. Get routine stuff over by means of a consent agenda then concentrate time and attention on top priories for the future.

13. Schedule breaks. If you have lengthy meetings, build into the agenda a break about every two hours.

14. Stick to the schedule. Keep on time to start and end. Waiting for all to be present does not compliment those who were on time.

15. Table major issues that don’t have consensus. This gives everyone a chance to think, question others, and research the issues involved before coming to a decision.

16. Block out dates. Set future meeting dates for one year ahead so everyone can mark their calendars and plan around them.

Decision Making

17. Focus on decision making. Reports should be written and read before the meeting and don’t fill the agenda with information updates. This should be decision-making time with discussions and recommendations to consider.

18. Vary decision making. For major decisions try a consensus approach so all will be supportive; if the majority always rules there may be a problem of ownership for those not backing the decision.

Individual Attention and Ownership

19. Encourage self-reflection. Members should always ask, “Why am I here today? What calls me to serve this organization? Whom am I serving? How will I know if I’ve been successful? How do I measure myself and my contribution?”

20. Involve all of the board members. It is helpful to contact members when the agenda is being organized to make sure all issues and concerns are listed and get their thoughts on the matter before the meeting.

21. Encourage relationship building. Everyone has attachments to the organization that’s why they are there; however, specifically why they are there is important. Relationship building can assist in forming important connections within the organization.

22. Keep meat on the board table. Don’t solve all of the problems before hand at the executive committee meeting, but form suggestions on how to handle issues only if no suggestions arise at the meeting itself otherwise the balance of the board members will feel they are not necessary.

23. Meet board members’ needs. As new members join the board ask them what they are looking for as a member and fulfill that request otherwise you may end up with one who is bored, upset, or not challenged.

24. Stay away from personal issues. Issues at the board meeting should always deal with the organization – personal issues can be discussed before or after the meeting if necessary thus using a more private environment.

25. Remember confidentiality rules. It’s important to always keep confidentiality in mind since the decisions that are made during the meeting affects numerous people’s lives.

26. Schedule interactive learning. Stronger buy-in can be developed by using educational opportunities to better understand the organization and what it does. This should relate to older members as well as the newer ones.

27. Ensure that all members have a say. Watch over the group carefully to make sure everyone speaks up at least once during the meeting yet no redundancy should take place.

28. Show appreciation. Recognize the members’ gift of their time and talents. They care enough of the agency to be away from their family and career to help support the agency and its activities.

Leadership

29. Make sure the facilitator remains neutral. If the person explaining the issue is against taking action it will show in the presentation. The presenter needs to lay out the facts with a neutral attitude.

30. Get help when you need it. An outside consultant may help if meetings can not properly handle conflict. Disagreements are good because it shows everyone is comfortable about expressing their point of view; however, it does need to happen in a correct manner.

31. Elect an unofficial sergeant at arms. If there are difficulties in the group staying on focus, bringing up personal issues, dragging out the length of meetings, etc. a sergeant at arms should be watching over and stressing the need to follow rules. If that person(s) continue(s) to be disruptive they must understand they will be asked and expected to leave the room.

Environment and Atmosphere

32. Aim for balance. It’s important to strike a balance between being so flexible there is no order to that being so strictly by the book; following only the rules, that too much time is spent in explaining rules. Strike a median.

33. Find a nice, quiet place. Hold meetings in a quiet environment to prevent distractions. Have members to turn off cell phones and pagers.

34. Hold meetings in a relevant site. If possible have meetings in the circumstances the agency is involved in; for example, in the school for school boards, at the recreation hall for the community work, etc. Having a meeting at the place of where your programs take place adds realism and brings focus.

35. Make sure the room is ready. Board members are busy and to show the value of their time, be sure the room is correctly set up before hand and all of the necessary equipment is working properly before the meeting starts.

36. Specify the room setup. It’s helpful to set up the room as a class if presentations are given otherwise either a square, circle or ‘u’ is used so all can see each other.

37. Watch where you sit. Where you physically place yourself in the room may present issues. Sitting across from someone may be interpreted as a challenge yet seated by them may be considered a friendship gesture.

38. Make board members comfortable. Check out the ergonomic aspects, lighting, heating/ac, acoustics as well as the correct number of chairs and tables with plenty of room.

39. Have fun. Meetings should be dynamic and exciting knowing the issues can make a positive difference within the organizations and their clients. Enjoy the company and share the common ground of wanting the best for the agency and clients. When appropriate, bring in fun and games to assist the members in learning more about the activities of the agency.

40. Try for face-to-face meetings. If traveling for all members is a problem use audio/video conferences otherwise it’s very important to meet in person. Body language can tell a lot and is often missed if not face-to-face.

Logistics

41. Establish ground rules. At the beginning of each new year or new sessions set up specific rules. The rules could include but not limited to no side conversations, arrive on time, seek to understand and to be understood, focus on issues, not personalities, the past has a vote but not the veto power, and commit to participate fully.

42. Keep the finances understandable. All board members are to accept the responsibility to fully understand fiscal activities. Keep the information in summary form and as simple as possible for the board members but detailed for the finance committee. If questions were to arise or a member was wanting more details, they can be easily provided. Remember that non-profit finances are opened to the public if they request it.

43. Use voting cards. Use red and green cards so everyone is involved and prevents some members from feeling overly influenced by how others vote.

44. Be considerate of non-English-speaking board members. Speak clearly and concisely and if necessary, have a translator present.

Follow-Through

45. Review the follow-up action items. At the end of each meeting quickly summarize the action items as to who is responsible to get them done, when is the information due and what is to happen.

46. Critique the meeting. What worked? What didn’t? What could we have done differently to make the meeting more productive? All should have input into this.

47. Follow up on no-shows. Make sure absent board members realize what they missed and how they can contribute in the future.

48. Study board meetings. Meetings should be interesting and strategic.

49. Meet in executive session several times a year without the chief executive. This allows the board to talk frankly and independently without the chief executive wondering, “What have I done now?”

50. Schedule a board retreat. This strengthens relationships and refreshes the understanding of the challenges. Use this time for planning and team building, to refocus and strengthen trust and relationships and to self-assess the board as a whole.

excerpts from pages 2-7 Sept 1999 Board Member Special Edition