How to Write a Good Board Meeting Agenda

A well-written agenda for board meetings ensures that discussions are productive and engaging with a clear and concise plan to tackle the organization’s most pressing issues. A well-written agenda will keep your members engaged, whether conducting meetings in person or via video.

A well-planned agenda starts with a clear and concise call to order that signals the start of the meeting or other proceedings. It could also include a short description of the purpose of the meeting and the name of the chairperson.

Next, your agenda for your board meeting should include a short report or presentation by the executive director or CEO on the current performance of the business and key initiatives. It’s also helpful to include a section for committee reports from the governance, finance and nominating committees, if needed.

If your company hosts guest speakers or http://boardmanagementtool.com/make-board-meeting-agenda-more-productive-and-timely open forum discussions, make sure you allocate time for these. You should also leave room for announcements and thank you remarks. You should also leave space for future business matters that require follow-up or haven’t been discussed yet.

It is not uncommon to get distracted by new topics of discussion, which could result in your meeting losing momentum. Include a parking space at the end of the agenda, where you can discuss new ideas. It’s recommended to include a rough estimation of how long each item should take for discussion, to allow you to avoid extending the board meeting schedule. To keep your agenda on the right track, if you are unable to resolve an issue at the board meeting, you can move it to the following one.