Effective Nonprofit Board Meetings: Mini Presentation

This is a quick overview for nonprofit boards that provides some tips for making face to face meetings more strategic and productive by leveraging tools such as a consent agenda.

1. Effective Board Meetings

2. To have mission-focused, strategic discussions Financial oversight ensure adequate resources Organizational planning Oversee development of and monitor Strategic Plan Determine, monitor & assess programs and services Meetings are not for Dealing with operational or day-to-day matters A reports-read-a-thon Out of the blue issues Personal agendas or pet projects Airing personal grievances Why are We Meeting?

3. Components: Mission moment Mega Issue Consent items Action Items Discussion Items Informational Items Executive Session New Business It’s all about the agenda What is missing from the list above???

4. Collaborate to Build the Agenda

5. Primary function is to help board members make informed decisions Strive for objectivity & a balance: neither too little nor too much information Recruit board members to take ownership of specific agenda items They’ll create the document & present it during the meeting Templates provide consistency Documents

6. Dissect the agenda with Executive Director Identify controversial issues & ones that can turn into a time-suck Create a contingency plan Garner support Reach out to key individuals Frame the Issues Create/provide context Determine how issues will be presented Set ground rules Preparing for the Meeting Issue #1

7. Set the tone & model desired behaviors Welcome different opinions to support thoughtful decision-making and to prevent group-think Challenge ideas , not individuals Be polite, and treat all with respect Logistics – delegate Keeping Time Directing the flow of discussion Monitoring engagement Getting support Providing for creature comforts Dealing with common problems Making adjustments At the meeting

8. Leadership de-brief Thank board members & celebrate achievements Disseminate draft minutes Communicate actions and key outcomes to the membership Work with the Executive Director to identify necessary follow-up and delegate activities to board members, as appropriate After the meeting

9. To Sum Up

10. Board Agenda Filter: http://ow.ly/pvVRx (.pdf) Anatomy of a consent agenda: http://ow.ly/pvVHs (.pdf) Creating an agenda: http://ow.ly/pvVAz & http://ow.ly/pvW8Z (.doc) Board Issues Filter: http://ow.ly/pvVYg (.pdf) Guests at Board Meetings, sample policy: http://ow.ly/pvWjI (.doc) Resources: handouts

11. Boardroom Chemistry: Getting your Board to Govern as a Team Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards Meeting & Exceeding Expectations: a Guide to Successful Board Meetings Taming the Troublesome Board Member Resources: books All available from: www.boardsource.org

12. BoardSource, www.boardsource.org Nonprofit Center, www.rchcae.com/ Parliamentary Motions Guide, http://ow.ly/pFbhx (.pdf) @ AMAnet @ betterboards @BoardSource @ theBoardDoctor @ HarvardBiz Resources: online http://ow.ly/q6xPA