Effective Board Meetings

5. Running the Meeting

5.1 The chairperson has the most influence on the meeting.

The chairperson's role is to:

• Determine the final content of the agenda, in conjunction with the managing director.
• Brief non-execs (and others) in advance on any sensitive issues.
• Allocate time to agenda items according to their importance.
• Create open discussions by introducing each item in a balanced, positive way.
• Elicit the views of the quieter directors and prevent anyone dominating the discussion.
• Give views on each issue after the others have given theirs.
• Summarise what has been decided, to check there are no misunderstandings.
• Be firm in allocating responsibilities and ensuring that they are carried out.
• Check at the next meeting that all decisions have been implemented.

5.2 A good location for the meeting is important.

• An off-site venue can help you focus more on strategic issues and less on operational ones.
• A good seating plan helps to draw everyone into the discussion.

5.3 The date of future meetings should be agreed in good time.

• Larger companies generally have monthly meetings.
• Smaller companies may find quarterly meetings more effective.The impact of board meetings becomes diluted if there are too many.
• Limited companies must hold a board meeting if any director requests one or if more than ten per cent of members request one (this is reduced to five per cent of members if it has been more than one year since the last board meeting).This meeting is used to sign off the annual accounts and to ratify any key decisions made by directors during the year.
• At times of rapid change, increase the number of meetings.
• Board members should receive monthly management accounts, even when there is no board meeting.