How to Open a Board Meeting

There are laws that require open meetings in the case of a board comprised of elected members, or if you are a non-profit organisation or another public entity. These laws are often referred to as Sunshine Laws or Open Meetings Acts and they require that the business of the board be conducted in a public setting. The laws also allow non-members the right of attendance and, in certain cases they are allowed to comment.

When the board is set to begin and begin, the person who was the one who facilitated the previous meeting should “call the meeting to begin”. This is usually done by saying “I call this meeting into order” or something similar with a strong voice. Then, usually, there are two taps on the gavel, which signifies that the meeting has officially begun.

Be sure to have an effective agenda before the meeting begins. The agenda should be clear and concise, highlighting the main topics and the major decisions the board will have to make. Resist putting too many items on the agenda, or reusing an agenda from the previous meeting.

The constant stream of new topics of discussion can consume time and distract your attendees from the tasks on your agenda. Consider putting a parking area at the end of your agenda. This is where you can include items that aren’t of high priority. You can pledge to revisit them later or include them in the next meeting.

Request feedback from your board about how meetings have been going and what you could improve them. This will make your board members feel more engaged and invested in the outcome of the meeting.

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