Five Tips to Prompt Board Discussion

(Condensed from the March Boardroom INSIDER...)

What item on the board meeting agenda leaves you feeling most fulfilled, and that you made a difference at the meeting?? This won’t be reviewing financials, that long PowerPoint presentation, or approving committee reports.?

For most of us, the item we most look forward to is “Discussion.”? The open-ended, informal yet serious back-and-forth on strategy, ideas and prospects taps into our background and skills, and leaves us feeling like contributors rather than just rubber stampers.? Yet board discussion time is too often cut short... and badly handled even when it sneaks onto the agenda.? How to nurture (and improve) your board discussions?

[] Give guidance.? While open-ended discussion can be valuable, launching it with “anyone have any comments?” typically just sees directors folding their papers and checking their phones.? The effective board chair prepares in advance with some discussion points to spark dialogue.? ?Slow down an agenda item review with a roundtable on what it means, and what we should read into the topic, item or report.? Active discussion doesn’t happen without an active chair.

[] Make discussion the default for some agenda items.? The tech staff is planning a slide presentation on a new software platform, or marketing plans a review of sales funnel data.? Rather than a written report or showing pretty pictures, ask them instead to deliver a verbal report.? Have them talk with (rather than at) the board members on recommendations, numbers and issues.? Approach it as a corporate stand-up routine, and pitch it particularly at board members with background on the topic at hand.? Encourage questions and feedback… which in turn nurtures even more questioning and feedback.

[] Drive with questions.? When the chair gets a thought from a board member, don’t just nod, but follow up… “how could we do that effectively… tell me more… who would have more information?”? Seek follow up from other members, especially those with interest or experience on the topic.? If this leads to debate among differing director views on the subject… good!

[] Make your agenda an ally.? Board discussion is typically agenda-ed at the end of the meeting. This is going to make it an expendable item, so directors can break for other business or to catch flights.? Instead, slot “Discussion” at varying points on the agenda, both to assure coverage and to shake up the assumption it’s expendable.? How about just after committee reports, post-lunch, or before a presentation?

[] Assign discussion leaders.? Talk with committee chairs, and ask them to break up the flow of their reports by prompting feedback on some of the items presented.? We looked at this change in the executive pay structure… what are thoughts on it?? We’re facing new disclosure requirements on this financial filing… any ideas on how we should proceed?? Also, draft members with specialty knowledge to salt discussion when a topic in their ambit arises.? This cybersecurity issue is growing more dangerous… anyone seeing it at their businesses?? How was the talent succession plan determined, and what are thoughts on our approach?

?