Board Meeting Rules – 7 of the Most Important Rules for a Successful Board Meeting

There are a myriad of rules that govern the world of board meetings. This is a good thing, since www.boardmeetingpro.net/how-boardpaq-is-changing-the-way-boards-understand-and-process-information it ensures that the discussions are productive and fair. The number of rules is overwhelming, particularly for a first-time or even experienced chair. In this article, we’ll review seven rules for board meetings which are crucial for achieving constructive dialogue and achieving results.

Rule 1: The order of precedence must always be followed.

The chairman of the board must ensure that the discussion is kept focused on the items on the agenda. Each member has a duty to respect and listen to the opinions of others. To speak the member must stand or raise their hand to signal the chairperson they wish to do so. The chairperson will then permit the participant to voice their opinion. The chairperson should also follow Robert’s Rules of Order when deciding which motions are more important and how to recognize them (e.g., by raising your hand or by asking permission).

Rule 2: Only one item is discussed at the same time.

Sidetracked by new topics, board meetings take up valuable time and divert attention from the most important topics. To prevent this from happening board leaders can include the word „parking lot” at the end of the agenda so that they can present topics that are worthy, but not top-priority. The board leader could then make a promise to revisit the parking lot to determine if the topics should be added to the agenda next time, moved back to a later meeting or delegated a task.