Board Meetings are a vital part of the future of a business. But a board that merely endorses whatever management decides to put on the agenda isn’t performing its duties and could be putting the business at risk.

Board meetings can be long and boring. It is easy to get lost in the amount of time you spend listening or debating irrelevant issues. There are many factors that contribute to the effectiveness of a board meeting such as how well the agenda is organized as well as how much time dedicated to important subjects and issues, and the rules and procedures used to conduct the meeting.

The rules for meetings can differ from one board to the one following, but they should be set forth in an unambiguous and consistent manner that guarantees transparency and consistency. Certain of these rules are imposed by law (e.g. the quorum requirement) while others could be determined either in the bylaws of boardmaps the board or by common law.

Minutes of meetings should clearly document attendance records, including the number of attendees who constitute the majority. It is also important to record the attendees, including if there were any board members absent or if any participant was present remotely. (See our article on Attendance of Board Members). It is essential to keep an outline of each discussion, along with the time spent on each topic. This can help manage time at future meetings and prevent unnecessary repetition of past information.