How Board Room Management Can Improve the Effectiveness of a Board
Board Room Management is a method for managing meetings and communications as well as the documents of the board. This includes the use of technology such as virtual meetings tools or collaborative document storage. A well-managed boardroom can increase the efficiency of a board, and ultimately, its decision-making.
Transparency and active listening, as well as a focus of collaboration are crucial to a successful boardroom. This is especially important when working with a virtual board in which there are many different problems. It is essential to have a system that allows you to track and share information and encourages members to speak up during discussions. Utilizing a board portal for instance, can help to share information and facilitate real-time discussions of issues and decisions.
Effective boardroom management also requires strong connections. Ted suggests regular meetings with each member or smaller groups outside of the boardroom to connect on an individual level, get acquainted with their families and friends, and learn what motivates them. While it might seem like extra work, these meetings can reduce the chance of surprises at the end of the quarter, and ensure that all employees are on the same and on the same page.
To avoid surprises at board meetings, it’s essential to have a clearly defined procedure to communicate bad news. The most effective way to do this is to have a discussion prior to the meeting and to ensure that any bad news is fully communicated. Boards must also have a system to deal with conflicts among members and making sure that no one individual is the sole focus of a discussion.
