If your corporate board meetings consist of you lecturing while your board members are on the verge of falling asleep, your meetings have sadly taken a turn for the worst. But it's never too late to make them productive and engaging again, especially when you throw some creativity into the mix.
That's why we asked 11 successful entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:
Q. What’s one way I can supercharge my board meetings to make them more productive and engaging?
1. Have everyone bring one idea
Bringing an idea to board meetings is mandatory in our organization. Otherwise, they seem to always be dominated by the same talking heads. Hearing fresh ideas from everybody is a huge plus, and we've found that it has accelerated our growth initiatives significantly. —Charles Moscoe, SkinCare.net
2. Focus on the core topics
Slim down meetings to just the “meat” of what needs to be covered, discussed, and decided upon. If you need to present complex information, do so in an intuitive and engaging way. There are always things that can be cut from meetings that have no real net benefit to the business and just take up time. Don’t create a negative culture of fear around meetings, and engagement will happen naturally. —Zev Herman, Superior Lighting
3. Recognize good work
Start your meetings on a positive note, and recognize employees for the work they have done and what they have achieved as part of the team. At our company, we have an “interrupt at any time" policy so that anyone can speak up whenever they feel they need to. We strive to make our meetings more like group conversations rather than a one-person show. —Russell Kommer, ExcelHelp.com
4. Opt for a change of scenery
Changing locations has surely helped our board meetings. I found that always meeting in the same room made everyone bored. Since we began changing locations, everyone seems more lively and open to discuss the items on the agenda. —Alfredo Atanacio, Uassist.ME
5. Create a meeting outline
Before our meetings, our marketing manager creates a "meeting notes" page in our company wiki. The wiki page allows us to tag colleagues, include links to conversations that are pertinent to the meeting, and ensures each player gets an opportunity to speak. It also keeps our meetings on track and allows us to keep a record of what was discussed for future reference. —Brian David Crane, Caller Smart Inc.
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6. Meet in a casual, fun environment
We live and work in Southern California next to the beach, so our board meetings have evolved into surfboard meetings. With flip-flops and no ties, board meetings are creative and fun. —Michael Gleason, Consumer Brands, LLC
7. Start on a personal note
Start your meetings on a personal note. Ask everyone if there’s anything they’d like to share, whether it be a new hobby they've taken up, a concert they went to, or new friends they made. Break the ice to get everyone’s minds out of “board meeting” mode, then start your meeting. You’ll notice everyone is more relaxed and engaged. —Volkan Okay Yazici, Stonexchange
8. Plot your past and future achievements
Paint a clear picture of what the future holds. Have your executive team draw a timeline of the key achievements each of their departments can make on a 5- to 10-year horizon. Then, plot your past accomplishments and follow that trajectory into the future. —Christopher Kelly, Convene
9. Start every topic with an icebreaker
For every topic you discuss, start with an icebreaker that relates to that topic. Use visuals or give out a "cool" prize for the day. It'll break the tension, make everyone more alert, and keep them engaged. It'll also become the highlight of the meeting, and people will look forward to coming back every week. —Daisy Jing, Banish
10. Use visuals in your board meetings
Instead of simply talking and droning on about goals, bring visuals to your board meetings so that everyone involved can visualize them along with achievements and plans. Get your infographic designer to illustrate your meeting agenda, and get your entire board involved by "painting a picture" of the items on your agenda. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. —Marcela De Vivo, Gryffin
11. Promote collaboration and participation
The more involved you can get your board in setting the objectives and topics for the agenda, the more participatory they will be. Have each member come prepared to spearhead a certain topic to give your meetings more variety. When moving into topics that require multiple opinions, gather those thoughts via a survey either before or after to prevent them from hijacking the meeting—it works like a charm. —Ashley Mady, Brandberry
RELATED: 5 Tips for Better Online Meetings That Help Employees Feel Connected
