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9 Ways To Make Your Next Board
Meeting Better
By: Tom Okarma
1. Send a complete meeting package for
directors one week in advance, including
– Agenda
– Committee reports
– Meeting minutes
– Background reading
materials
– Special handouts, etc.
9 Ways To Make Your Next
Board Meeting Better
2. At the meeting, assume everyone has read the
materials and is fully briefed.
– Do not penalize the many by waiting for the few to read
the package.
3. Use a Consent Agenda. Think of it as a collection of all
routine items needing approval, such as:
– Meeting minutes
– Standard contract renewals
– Routine board resolutions routine revisions to policies,
minor updates,
– Have the board vote on the items all at once.
9 Ways To Make Your Next
Board Meeting Better
4. Use board committees effectively, giving them
real responsibility.
– Board meetings are for presentation of issues,
discussion of options, and disposition
– With few exceptions, most “heavy lifting” should be
done by committees—in their own meetings.
– Use committees to study important issues, report to
the board and make its recommendations
9 Ways To Make Your Next
Board Meeting Better
5. Capture, in writing, all board decisions
– Document what actions
were approved
– Identify who is
responsible
– Set deadlines for
completion
9 Ways To Make Your Next
Board Meeting Better
6. Bring your clients “into” the boardroom to
keep discussions relevant.
9 Ways To Make Your Next
Board Meeting Better
• Start each meeting by reading a
letter (anonymously) from
someone who had benefitted from
the agency’s services.
• Those letters describe how agency
services helped them get back on
their feet.
• This simple practice keep the board
grounded and real.
• Share these letters with staff,
volunteers, etc
7. Start out each board meeting with
a Captivating Question.
9 Ways To Make Your Next
Board Meeting Better
– Get everyone’s juices flowing quickly
– Pose a controversial, open-ended
question
• If we were starting up our organization
today, what would it look like?
• It is 2017 and we just came off our most
successful year. What 2-3 key steps or
decisions did the board make resulting in
these great results?
• If we could do one thing right now that
would improve our organization what
would that be?
8. Lead the meeting more effectively.
– Board chairs need to be leaders, tactful, but leaders
nonetheless. The directors expect the chair to proactively
lead.
– Chairs should be respected by directors and willing to
make tough decisions, address problems as they arise, and
lead tight meetings.
– Do not let directors ramble on. Keep the meetings flowing
smoothly by respecting everyone’s time and give others an
opportunity to contribute.
– Directors who commit to doing something must be held
accountable if they fail to deliver.
– Lead energetic, well-paced, strategic meetings
9 Ways To Make Your Next
Board Meeting Better
How Does Your Nonprofit Measure Up?
Find out if you’re on track for Success.
9 Ways To Make Your Next
Board Meeting Better
Take the Quiz
9 Ways To Make Your Next
Board Meeting Better
This presentation is
Find more resources for your
nonprofit and learn how to
become a better leader at
TomOkarma.com

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9 Ways To Make Your Next Nonprofit Board Meeting Better

  • 1. 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better By: Tom Okarma
  • 2. 1. Send a complete meeting package for directors one week in advance, including – Agenda – Committee reports – Meeting minutes – Background reading materials – Special handouts, etc. 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better
  • 3. 2. At the meeting, assume everyone has read the materials and is fully briefed. – Do not penalize the many by waiting for the few to read the package. 3. Use a Consent Agenda. Think of it as a collection of all routine items needing approval, such as: – Meeting minutes – Standard contract renewals – Routine board resolutions routine revisions to policies, minor updates, – Have the board vote on the items all at once. 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better
  • 4. 4. Use board committees effectively, giving them real responsibility. – Board meetings are for presentation of issues, discussion of options, and disposition – With few exceptions, most “heavy lifting” should be done by committees—in their own meetings. – Use committees to study important issues, report to the board and make its recommendations 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better
  • 5. 5. Capture, in writing, all board decisions – Document what actions were approved – Identify who is responsible – Set deadlines for completion 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better
  • 6. 6. Bring your clients “into” the boardroom to keep discussions relevant. 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better • Start each meeting by reading a letter (anonymously) from someone who had benefitted from the agency’s services. • Those letters describe how agency services helped them get back on their feet. • This simple practice keep the board grounded and real. • Share these letters with staff, volunteers, etc
  • 7. 7. Start out each board meeting with a Captivating Question. 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better – Get everyone’s juices flowing quickly – Pose a controversial, open-ended question • If we were starting up our organization today, what would it look like? • It is 2017 and we just came off our most successful year. What 2-3 key steps or decisions did the board make resulting in these great results? • If we could do one thing right now that would improve our organization what would that be?
  • 8. 8. Lead the meeting more effectively. – Board chairs need to be leaders, tactful, but leaders nonetheless. The directors expect the chair to proactively lead. – Chairs should be respected by directors and willing to make tough decisions, address problems as they arise, and lead tight meetings. – Do not let directors ramble on. Keep the meetings flowing smoothly by respecting everyone’s time and give others an opportunity to contribute. – Directors who commit to doing something must be held accountable if they fail to deliver. – Lead energetic, well-paced, strategic meetings 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better
  • 9. How Does Your Nonprofit Measure Up? Find out if you’re on track for Success. 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better Take the Quiz
  • 10. 9 Ways To Make Your Next Board Meeting Better This presentation is Find more resources for your nonprofit and learn how to become a better leader at TomOkarma.com