How to Write a Good Board Meeting Agenda

A well-written agenda for board meetings ensures productive, engaging discussions with a clear and concise plan to address the most important topics. A well-written agenda will keep your attendees interested, whether meeting in person or online.

A good agenda begins with an appropriate call to order that signals the beginning of the meeting and any related proceedings. This could include the name of the chairperson, as well as a brief description of the meeting’s purpose.

Then, your agenda for your board meeting should include a short report or presentation by the executive director or CEO on the company’s current performance and major initiatives. It is also beneficial to include a section on committee reports from the finance, governance, and nominating committees as required.

Make sure you schedule time for any guest presentations or open forums your company may be hosting. You should also leave space for any special announcements, congratulations, or recognition. You should also leave space for any future business issues http://boardmanagementtool.com/make-board-meeting-agenda-more-productive-and-timely that need to be discussed or followed up on.

Being distracted by new topics for discussion is a typical issue that can hinder the pace of your meeting. Make sure to include parking space at the end of your agenda where you can put forward new ideas to further discussion. It’s also a good idea to include an estimation of how long each item should take for discussion, as this will help avoid overrunning the schedule of board meetings. If you can’t reach a decision on a topic, you can move it to the next board meeting to keep the agenda on track.