Board Meeting Preparation

The agenda for the board meeting is among the most important aspects of a successful board meeting. A well-planned agenda can assist in focusing the discussion, reduce time spent on topics that are not critical to the discussion and ensure that the board members are equipped to address the issues at hand.

Before the board meeting the executive team needs to concentrate on a few important topics they wish to take out of the session. This will allow them to avoid a runaway train in the boardroom and instead keep the board discussion efficient and productive.

The board administrator should distribute the agenda to all directors so that they can examine it prior to the meeting. This allows them the opportunity to highlight key points and prepare questions ahead of time. It also gives directors the chance to review or submit any reports they have to data room submit.

The general counsel, or a designated representative, should also look over any documents that management has prepared to ensure consistency and look for typos. They should also look for the list of attendees as well as draft language for the decisions that are needed.

The chair should also contact any chairpersons or directors who were given action items in previous meetings to confirm that they’re on the right track. This is a great method to keep track of any developments and give an up-to-date status update.