A well-planned strategic board agenda sets the tone for your meetings. It helps ensure that your board members are involved in stimulating discussions and efficient decision-making. It also allows for the sharing of new ideas and perspectives. But the secret to Board Meeting having a successful board agenda is more than just drafting a list of topics for your meeting. It requires skills, talent, and discipline.
When you are planning your agenda, be sure to include time limits for each item. This will help prevent meetings from running late and will help ensure that critical issues get adequate attention. It is also crucial to prioritize and balance the amount of strategic long-term items with reports and other business items. It is recommended to prioritize the strategic discussion and move the reports to the end of the agenda, so your board can focus on the most important issues for the business.
You might consider bringing in an independent facilitator or board member to help with the strategic planning. This person can bring fresh perspectives to the discussion and help your board adopt a strategic approach to making decisions.
Before your meeting of the strategic board give the agenda and any other relevant documents to board members ahead of time. This gives them a chance to review the materials prior to the meeting and be prepared with ideas for the meeting.