Having a board of directors is an excellent way to make sure that your business is being managed properly and that your decisions are taken in a transparent and fair manner. However, for the board to be effective, it’s essential that all members are engaged and present at every meeting. Poor meeting attendance causes a loss of productivity and can lead to a decline of effective leadership. Here are a few tips that can help you improve the quality of your board meetings.

Plan ahead: Ensure that the board members have received relevant documents, such as financial statements, reports and background material in advance of the meeting. This will allow them to be prepared with thoughtful questions. Notifying information in advance gives board members the opportunity to review their schedules in order to make sure they are able to attend.

Start at the right time: Start your meeting by making a brief call to call www.boardroomsite.com/what-to-expect-from-a-board-evaluation/ the meeting to order and confirm that there is the quorum. This will demonstrate that the board respects the time of everyone.

Establish a clear decision-making process: A clear decision-making procedure keeps the discussion on track and avoids divergent thoughts that could disrupt the meeting.

Encourage active participation: Creating an environment where all members feel comfortable sharing their views and experiences can be difficult. Chairpersons can play a major role in encouraging participation by inviting input from both sides and encouraging an open and constructive discussion. They can also establish ground guidelines for discussion to ensure short remarks and equal time for everyone.