How to Write a Good Board Meeting Agenda

A well-written agenda for your board meetings will result in productive, lively discussions with a clear strategy to tackle the organization’s most important topics. A well-written agenda will keep your participants engaged, whether you are conducting meetings in person or online.

A good agenda begins with a clear and concise call to order that signals the start of the meeting or any other proceedings. This can include a brief announcement of the purpose for your meeting and the name of the chairperson.

The agenda for your board’s meeting should include a brief report or presentation by the executive http://boardmanagementtool.com directors or CEO on the current performance of the company and the key initiatives it has taken. You could also include a section with the reports from the nominating, finance and governance committees.

If your organization has guest presentations or open forum discussions, you should allocate time for these. You should also make space for announcements, congratulations, or recognition. You should also make space for future business matters that require follow-up or have not been discussed before.

The tendency to get distracted by new discussions is a frequent issue that can sabotage the momentum of your meeting. Include a parking space at the end of the agenda where you can talk about new ideas. It’s also a good idea to include an estimate of the time each item will take to discussion, since this will help avoid overrunning the time for board meetings. To keep your agenda on the right track, if you are unable to resolve an issue at the board meeting, move it to the next meeting.