A well-written agenda for board meeting ensures engaging and productive discussions, with a plan to discuss the most important issues of the organization. A well-written agenda will keep your members engaged, whether conducting meetings in person or online.
A good agenda begins with a an unambiguous and concise calling to order which announces the start of the meeting or other proceedings. It could also include a short explanation of the reason for the meeting as well as the name of your chairperson.
The agenda for your board meeting should also include a brief report or presentation by the executive directors or CEO on the actual performance of the business and the key initiatives it has taken. You can also include a section with the reports from the nominating, finance and governance committees.
If your organization has guest presentations or open forum discussions, make sure you allocate time for them. You should also make space for announcements or celebrations. You should also allow space for any future business issues that need to be addressed or followed-up on.
It is not uncommon to get distracted by new topics of discussion, which can cause your meeting to lose momentum. Include a parking spot at the end of the agenda so that it is possible to discuss ideas that are new. It’s recommended to include an estimate of the time each item will take to discussion, since this will aid in avoiding overrunning the time for board meetings. To keep your agenda on schedule, if you’re unable to decide on an item at the board meeting, you can move it to the following one.