Having a board of directors is an excellent way to ensure that your business is being managed effectively and that decisions are taken in an open fair and honest way. To be effective, the board must be active in its members and present at every meeting. A lack of attendance at meetings leads to a loss in productivity and a decline in effective leadership. Here are some tips to enhance your board meetings.

Plan ahead: Make sure that all board members have received the basic board evaluations appropriate information, including reports, financial statements, and background material prior to the date of the meeting. This will allow them to be prepared with thoughtful questions. In addition, sending the information ahead of time gives board members an opportunity to check their schedules and ensure they’re able to attend.

Start promptly: Begin your meeting by making a brief call to the order and confirmation of the quorum. This will demonstrate to the board that it respects everyone’s time.

Establish a clear process for making decisions: A clear procedure for making decisions can help keep the discussion focused, and keeps diverting or causing disruption to the discussion.

Encourage active participation. It can be difficult to create an environment in which everyone feels at ease sharing ideas and opinions. Chairpersons can play an important role in promoting participation by inviting input from both sides and encouraging an open and constructive discussion. They can also establish the ground rules for the discussion to ensure concise remarks and equal time for all participants.