www.yearsboard.com/should-your-ceo-serve-as-a-board-member/
You should ensure that everyone is well-prepared when your board meets. Distributing meeting materials a minimum of a week prior to the meeting is a way to ensure everyone is prepared. This allows both old and new members the chance to review and prepare for the discussion.
Communication with your board members is important before the meeting. This will allow any bad news to be released beforehand, so that it won’t be unintentionally revealed during the meeting. It’s also a great opportunity to meet with committees or officers that have reports due at the meeting. It is crucial to have a a direct communication channel between the board and management, especially when there are urgent issues.
Limit the discussion topics during the meeting to those which are listed on the agenda. This will help you get through each subject in a timely manner and ensure the board’s valuable time is effectively used.
Don’t be discouraged by disagreements which may arise during discussions. Boards which encourage diversity of thought tend to make better decisions than those who have one point of view. A little disagreement is an excellent thing.
It is essential to look back at the past decisions of the board at every meeting. This will help you to avoid repeating the same mistakes in future meetings, and also help you identify areas of improvement. Recording the way decisions were made can also be helpful if disputes arise in the future.
