Unlike a CEO who handles the day-to-day operations of an organization, a board of directors focuses in the bigger picture and is accountable for making high-level decisions. The board nominates and, if necessary, replaces the CEO of a company and is accountable for the fiduciary obligation of the company to its shareholders and other stakeholders.
Thus an efficient and productive board will treat staff as colleagues, not subordinates. The most respectful and thoughtful board members also listen to staff and treat them with the same respect, even if a board member is not in agreement with the employee’s opinion. Board members are expected to act on issues that affect the objectives of an organization, regardless of size.
The precise minutes of meetings are essential to effective board governance. These minutes can help board members who are not present understand the events that took place during Board of Directors the meeting, and can provide clarity on any metrics or strategies that are required to be monitored. Boards that spend the time to prepare concise and clear minutes are better able to navigate legal challenges.
This blog post by SSIR will show you how to draft effective minutes for board meetings. This blog is an excellent source for anyone interested in governance for boards, with particular attention paid to not-for profit boards.
