What's On Your Chamber's Board Agenda? Board time is a non-renewable resource

I saw this article on the Indiana Chamber Executives Website (Shelli Williams, President), and found many of the tips and guidelines something I could use for time management every day. If board activities is a subject area you'd like to know more about, there are several exceptional experts on chamber boards and their leadership role in chambers. One is Ken Brengle, president of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce. For additonal names, please contact me at jdussman.vp@villageprofilemail.com .

4/4/2013 (original post date)
Board time is a non-renewable resource .... make sure you are providing quality meetings for your board members to ensure attendance. Here are some quick tips to make your Board meetings more effective for your chamber:   Never call any meeting without an agenda - this includes committee meetings as well as Board meetings. Use a consent agenda so routine items do not consume discussion - Don't ask your board members to listen to reports. They can read reports. Don’t waste time reviewing reports - unless it’s a precursor to an important conversation. Instead, design board meetings for strategic conversation about important items. Insist on a starting and ending time -Board meetings require intentional design and good facilitation. If discussion gets too lengthy, adjourn and set a follow up time to finish important points with key board members.  Focus on priority items - Design the agenda based on what is most important to your organization at this time. Handle routine matters quickly. Put the most important items at the top of the agenda. Provide adequate background information in advance of the meeting so that people come prepared. Provide agenda and materials one week prior to the meeting - that should give board leaders time to read the material in advance of the meeting, make notes, highlight key items, etc. Ensure that everyone participates (the chair’s key job!) - identify everyone's passion point for chamber involvement and get each board member plugged into the ownership of the organization. Create a culture of board members coming prepared for the meeting - Consider not providing extra copies of materials at meetings. Expect - insist - that your board members come prepared, with their materials in hand. Board members should read the material in advance of the meeting, making notes, highlighting key items.