At board meetings, looming problems are brought up for discussion, new strategies are discussed, and ways to solve those problems are discussed. But to keep the entire process from becoming chaotic, or too routine, it requires good preparation in advance. This preparation should include both structure and flexibility so that issues of all kinds can be addressed. It is simply essential for the board secretary to have a checklist of things to do before the board meeting.
Checklist before the board meeting
Below we will break down point by point a detailed checklist of things to do before the board meeting.
- Select a venue for the meeting
First of all, you need to decide what location the meeting will be held in. You need to carefully check that the room you choose has everything you need: special equipment and a convenient geographic location so that no one will have trouble finding it. After booking the place.
- Develop a preliminary agenda
Before you create one, refer to the minutes of the previous meeting. Take out any items that have been set aside and include them in the discussion of the next meeting, contact the directors who are vouching for the financial and legal reports to make sure they are willing to provide them, and create a tentative agenda. Be sure to include the exact time, date, and place of the meeting. Next, you need to discuss it with the CEO and then it can be sent to the other participants so they can make suggestions and amendments. Next, you need to send out a notice of the upcoming meeting to all participants separately, or do it publicly, depending on your company’s charter.
- Speak to the CEO if you have any questions
It may be that since the last meeting of the directors new and important questions have arisen. Discuss them with the chairman of the board to decide if they should be included in the upcoming discussion.
- Ask for copies of the minutes of the meeting
Request a copy of the minutes from anyone who is going to present it, including the executive director, treasurer, or committee chairs.
- Send out the required materials before the meeting
Make sure that all board members have been informed about the subject of the meeting at least one week before the meeting. Put together a packet of materials to review and send it out to attendees.
- Final preparations
The final steps before the Board meeting are to prepare extra copies of the materials to be handed out at the meeting and an outline of the minutes (it’s good to have a template) and make sure to include sections of the main points and any additional notes. Do a checklist of all meeting materials, participants, and locations, and remember to keep the checklist handy during the meeting.
Checklist for after the board meeting
After the meeting, it is important to take care of the security of the company and to do this, it is worth removing absolutely all notices of the board meeting. After that, take care of the minutes of the meetings. Make sure you make accurate changes, additions, and corrections to the minutes. Next, certify it by having the chairman of the board sign and date the document. As long as all the events remain fresh in your memory you can write a draft of the current meeting minutes. This is so important because the minutes are state property, and in the event of an audit are one of the important indicators of the transparency of the company’s scheme of operations.
Remember that if everything was well prepared in advance, board meetings can go much more productively.