In the world of board meetings there are a variety of rules. It’s good practice, since it ensures that discussions are productive and fair. The number of rules can be overwhelming, particularly for a first-time or even experienced chair. In this article, we will look at seven of the most important rules of board meetings that are crucial to achieving constructive dialogue and positive results.
Rule 1: The order of precedence should always be observed.
The chairman of the board has to ensure that the discussion is kept in the context of the items on the agenda. Everyone has a responsibility to respect and listen to the opinions of other members. In order to speak members must stand or raise their hand to inform the chairperson that they would like to speak. The chairperson will then allow the member to express their opinion. The chairperson should also follow Robert’s Rules of Order when deciding what kinds of motions are more important and how to identify them (e.g. by raising your hand or asking permission).
Rule 2: Only one item is discussed at the same time.
Distractions from new topics can take up the time of board meetings and divert attention from the most important issues. To help reduce this issue, the board leader can include the word “parking lot” at the end of the agenda, where they can push topics that are worthy but not top-priority. The board member can then decide to revisit this parking lot to determine if the topics should be included on the next agenda, moved back to a later meeting or assigned a task.
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