Everyone has been at a board meeting in which the discussion was off topic or ran long. It may not seem like a big deal when it happens www.boardroomsonline.blog/basic-objectives-of-corporate-governance only once or once, but off-topic discussions that are repeated can damage morale and cause organizational issues. It is also important to note that board meetings that go over-time can rob the board of the chance to discuss and decide on important action items.
The most common cause of running too long board meetings is stacking the agenda with long reports and other routine items. The more information you provide members the more likely that they will read it. Try to limit reporting at board meetings, and think about asking officers and committee chairs to provide a brief summary instead of a minute-byminute account of their work or are currently doing. It is also an excellent idea to include a “parking lot” item on the agenda for non-agenda items that require discussion but are not priority. Utilizing this space can help prevent new topics from taking the spotlight from agenda items that should be the focus of the meeting.
A clear agenda will allow the board engage in a positive dialogue and make informed decisions. This can be accomplished by starting the meeting with the most important items and leaving space at the end of the meeting to let attendees ask questions or bring up any new issues they are still worried about. This will enable leadership to take advantage of the collective wisdom of board members and leave with great ideas that will improve the direction of the company.