First of all, it’s proficient that you have an agenda for your Board.  Good going.  This provides the chairman with the peace of no surprises. Agree that agenda items are the only points of discussion for the meeting of the day.

Set up a system of submitting and screening items for the agenda. Everything that happens in a church doesn’t need to be on a Board agenda. Reserve the Board agenda for policy, purpose, vision and long-term issues and address the preferential ones with the interested parties.

Here are five principles to use when you bring appropriate items to the Board.

1. Plan ahead. Think months not weeks for new items.

Plan for at least 12 months from information distribution, and discussion to arriving at a million-dollar decision. Allowing for 18-24 months is not unreasonable. The larger the scope, and the more costly the change, the longer the timeline will be.

This will require the chairman to be miles ahead of the members of the Board.

2. Push information, not decisions. 

The more and the sooner valuable facts are shared with a Board the better the chance of an informed, timely decision. Don’t push decisions. Provide information. Unless you are constrained by an unmoveable Board member, decisions will be made at the pace of the information. 

3. Allocate time limits for agenda items.

Estimate how much time an item requires. Stick to your timing. Give a three-minute warning as you near the limit of an item’s allotted time. If the resolution for an item seems distant, move the item to Business Arising on your next agenda.

4. Pace your agenda with non-controversial items interspersed with discussion items.

Schedule most of your administration items – minutes, reports, financials – ahead of discussion items. Take breaks after 70 minutes and 105 minutes.

5. Hold multiple meetings rather than one lengthy meeting.

Most Board meetings occur after a long day of work for volunteer leaders. By the time 9:00 pm rolls around, the most effective, concentrated, and genial discussion is at its limit. Schedule a near term second meeting rather than exceed the grace of all involved.

Healthy boards are wonders to behold. Keep them healthy with a well-balanced, high fiber diet.

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