Board meetings should be meaningful and well-organized affairs. Serving on an association board is voluntary, so the board members involved have a life to live outside of the board. One of the most important things a board can do is hold an effective board meeting to make the best use of time!
When conducting your next board meeting, consider the following tips:
1. Prepare Ahead of Time
Boards can maximize accuracy, efficiency, and productivity by using the prior meeting’s agenda as a template for the next meeting; review past agenda items and meeting minutes as a launching point for the next upcoming meeting. Also, be sure all relevant topics that need to be covered are laid out and that any relevant materials are prepared in advance.
2. Create a Structured Agenda and Stick To It
Create and utilize a well-organized agenda which may include old and new business, committee reports, action items, a treasurer’s report, and specified time for open homeowner forum. Each agenda item should have an assigned time frame that is adhered to.
3. Ensure Participation
Invite homeowners to attend and speak during an allotted time during the meeting (either at the beginning or end of the meeting), but limit time to 2-3 minutes per person. It’s also a good idea to ask homeowners to submit questions, comments, or concerns in advance of the meeting in order to ensure that they can be addressed properly during the meeting.
4. Start and End on Time
An HOA should be run like a business, despite the nonprofit status and volunteer “employees.” Board meetings should have a clear and direct purpose; stick to the agenda at all times in order to avoid derailment. If items are incomplete when time is up, table them for future meetings.
5. Follow Up
At the end of the board meeting, action items should be reviewed and agreed upon in order to clarify each board member’s expected responsibilities. After the board meeting, send an email to board members as a reminder of the action items to keep things moving forward.
Leading a meeting takes skill, leadership, clear expectations, and organization. If you follow the tips above, your board should operate like a well-oiled machine!
Related: 5 Tips for Maintaining Your Communities Gate
Need help organizing an efficient meeting? Reach out to us at Spectrum, we are happy to help!
