Best Practice Board Meetings

Key Terms for Future Reference 

Signpost

Whether you are leading a meeting or taking part in it, use this technique to signal the group’s progress for where you are in the meeting and how much more needs to be tackled. Using clues such as “we’re at the halfway mark” or “we’ve discussed this same topic for 15 minutes” keeps the team focused on productivity.

WAIT

WAIT  stands for “why am I talking?” This technique is a way to check yourself if you are tempted to add your opinion once someone else has already covered the topic adequately, whether you want to continue to press a point when the point is clearly moot, and when you want to enter a conversation without anything new to say. It’s human nature to enjoy a conversation. But these

The Parking Lot

When an item comes up in conversation that is not directly related to the conversation (e.g., a member wishes to suggest a new contractor for additional maintenance on community property), the chair of the meeting will add the issue to the “parking lot.” This ensures that issues worth discussion and action are not overlooked. 10 minutes at the end of each new business section of the board meeting will be reserved for parking lot issues.

3W’s

This is how action items get assigned with clear directions: what is the action? who is responsible? when will the action be completed?

Thumbs-up Time Saver

For simple items that don’t require extensive discussion, the chair may skip the formal vote and call for a “thumbs up.” Unanimous agreement on these items means the discussion is closed and the board moves on to the next action item.

Outcome Mapping

This strategy allows the board to envision what solution it wants. Instead of focusing on the problem, focus on the desired outcome: “The board will trim $5,000 from common area maintenance”, instead of “we’re spending too much on community maintenance.”

References

Streibel, B. (2002)  Manager’s Guide to Effective Meetings. Blacklick, OH, USA: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing, 2002.