One of the most common complaints we get as HOA management professionals is that board meetings never accomplish anything. No matter how many times these boards meet or how long they meet for—and trust us, sometimes meetings can drag on for hours at a time—the agenda remains just as packed and the community continues to go nowhere fast. As a board member who just wants to get things done and go home to their family, this can be exceedingly frustrating, and for good reason too! Truly, it’s bad for all involved—including the site manager assigned to the community (no one wants to be stuck in a cramped room while “Mary” goes on and on about nothing important, even if they’re being paid to do so.)

Fortunately, board meetings don’t have to be a black hole, mercilessly sucking away all of our time. In fact, if done correctly, board meetings can become exactly what they are supposed to be—a productive way to improve your community! With that in mind, here are just a few ways you can make your meetings more efficient than ever before:

Business is Business

Though it may not seem like it if you aren’t a particularly active member of the community or board, the board is running a business (it’s called the Board of Directors for a reason, you know) and therefore, meetings must be treated as such. This means keeping asides to a minimum, staying focused on the topic at hand, and—most importantly—keeping chatter to a minimum. Though this isn’t to say you can’t be friendly and chat a bit, once the meeting has begun, you need to make sure all personal matters are left at the door and that the main focus of the meeting is the meeting itself. This can cut quite a bit of time off of a process that may be incredibly bloated as is, and it can also make certain that you are able to reach all important segments of the agenda by meeting’s end.

Create a Plan (an Agenda) and Stick to It

When running a meeting, have you ever noticed how many new problems are brought up on a regular basis—even while staging active discussion on an totally unrelated subject? If so, then you aren’t unlike the majority of properties that we manage here at Spectrum Association Management. Unfortunately, this is a major issue that most boards have and, with many board members mentioning any problem that comes to mind, already ineffective discussions become derailed and forgotten. This can have a negative effect on any meeting, and can make it nearly impossible to get anything done.

This is precisely why having an agenda that is set in stone is an absolute must at any board meeting, regardless of how important said meeting may be. If you have a detailed agenda in place before the meeting begins, you have an outline for how the meeting should go, including what issues need discussion and what needs to be voted on. Just having this structure makes sure the meeting—and all involved—will stay on point, improving efficiency in and of itself; however, you also must make sure this agenda is adhered to, else this step will be implemented for naught. Here are few basic tips to ensure your agenda is as helpful as possible:

  1. Table New Discussions and Issues for the Next Meeting: Though it can be easy to say “we won’t talk about problems not on the docket”, human nature will rear its ugly head and there will be times that it simply can’t be avoided. If members simply can’t resist bringing up new issues, or if you find the meeting straying off point, call for the discussion to be tabled until next meeting so you can stick to the matters at hand. This will allow for future discussion of the issue, while keeping the meeting focused and (hopefully) less lengthy.
  2. Record Meeting Minutes: Of course, tabling and delaying discussions won’t work if everyone forgets what discussion needs to be delayed (or what the arguments for previous discussions may have been); thus, it’s very important to take detailed notes on the happenings of every meeting in the form of meeting minutes. These can serve as a refresher for the board members involved, while also giving homeowners who were not able to attend the meeting access to whatever may have transpired in their absence.
  3. Be Detailed as Possible when Creating your Meeting Agenda: Meeting agendas should outline precisely what will be considered during the meeting, what needs to be voted on, and what discussions need to be had. After all, meeting agendas are a guide, and an unfocused guide can incite chaos instead of order—which is precisely what you are trying to avoid. So, outline estimated time limits, voting periods, break times, and all elements that need to be discussed in your agenda before the meeting occurs. This will ensure your HOA board meeting has the ability to stay on point throughout its duration.

Schedule Homeowner Response

A crucial part of board meetings and associations in general is to give homeowners a chance to voice their opinions on the issues at hand within the neighborhood. After all, the board works for the interests of the homeowners, so their opinions need to be heard. With that in mind, you need to make sure to schedule a time at the end of the meeting where homeowners can add their voices to the discussion. If you do this, and you make absolutely certain you stick to the schedule as strictly as possible, you will not only be able to reign in the length of your meetings more efficiently than ever before (a result of having a strictly defined discussion time) you’ll also stay more in touch with the needs and wants of the homeowners you represent. And trust us; openness, transparency, availability, and efficiency are all qualities that you want your board to have. It will make things much easier for you (and homeowners) in the long run, and as a board member, isn’t that all you want?

Follow the Rules, Keep Board Meetings Clean

In summary, we have been there and seen it all for the past decade and more, and we know that board meetings are one of the more soul sucking parts of being a board member. They are long, awful processes that only get worse the more contradictory your fellow board members are; but, it doesn’t have to be that way. Just keep these meeting tips in mind, and make absolute sure to call us if you have any more questions about any concern you have. You and your fellow board members will certainly be happy you did.