The chair of the board must state that the board is meeting to discuss business. This simple statement identifies the meeting as formal and allows the chair to address agenda items in a timely manner.
The chair of the board will ensure that there is a quorum present prior to discussing any agenda item. This is accomplished by calling the names of everyone present and ensuring that the board is able to hold its official business.
The constant re-inventing of topics for discussion can take up time and distract attention from more important things. This can be mitigated by establishing the concept of a “parking area” at the conclusion of your board agenda, where members can agree to discuss a variety of topics at a future time. Be sure to follow-up on your promise to revisit the parking area and determine if the topic should be further researched, added to the next board agenda, or delegated as an assignment.
Once the board has established the quorum they should begin to discuss any reports from committees delivered prior to the meeting. The board should then discuss the reports and decide the best way to proceed. This could involve voting on a resolution, or simply asking members to take a stance on a particular issue. Be sure to incorporate all discussions and actions in the board’s minute. Using a tool like Boardable’s Minutes Maker ensures that your board meeting minutes are complete, well-organized, and easy to read by both attendees and non-attendees.