Strategic Board Agendas
Sonya Beyers
Chair and Non-Executive Director | Governance Specialist | Legal Advisory and Education Services
A Tool for Effective Governance
When board meetings need more focus, they often devolve into discussions that miss the mark. As directors, our responsibility is to keep the agenda tightly aligned with long-term objectives. Recently, BoardPro hosted a webinar titled ‘Setting the Strategic Board Agenda ’, where I joined governance experts Steven Bowman, and Margot Foster, to discuss how the structure and content of a board agenda can significantly impact a board’s ability to govern effectively. My experiences as a chair and non-executive director, together with my fellow panellists' experiences, provided practical and actionable insights for any board looking to improve its governance processes.
It’s easy for meetings to veer into operational territory if the agenda isn’t carefully crafted. But the true role of the board is to focus on decisions that create the future of the organisation. The agenda is the key tool in shaping this focus, ensuring discussions revolve around big-picture strategy rather than getting lost in day-to-day management.
Why strategic agendas are essential
Every board meeting should drive toward long-term value creation. But many agendas don’t reflect this. Instead, they become clogged with reports and updates that don’t require deep thinking. This wastes time and prevents boards from tackling the decisions that truly matter. A well-designed agenda focuses directors on the right conversations, providing a clear path to meaningful governance .
One of the most important points raised during the webinar was that an agenda is not just a meeting plan. It’s a framework for prioritising strategic discussions. Directors should be asking, "What do we need to decide today that will have a lasting impact?" If that question isn’t guiding the agenda, then the board risks becoming reactive rather than proactive.
The role of the chair in shaping the agenda
It falls on the chair to ensure the agenda stays focused on strategic priorities. The chair’s role is not just to facilitate meetings but to shape the conversation from the outset. One point discussed during the webinar was how the chair, by law, holds the responsibility for finalising the agenda. It’s the chair who must decide which topics make the cut—and which don’t.
While input from directors and management is important, the chair’s responsibility is to set a clear direction for the board. By ensuring the agenda includes only the most relevant strategic issues, the chair can lead the board towards making decisions that align with the organisation’s long-term goals.
Building an agenda around your vision
One of the simplest yet most effective practices a board can adopt is placing the organisation’s vision at the top of every agenda. This helps remind directors why they’re there. We’re not there just to listen to reports or approve minutes; we’re there to create value for the communities we serve. By framing the agenda around the vision, directors are constantly reminded of the bigger picture.
Structuring the agenda for impact
Effective agendas don’t just list topics—they structure the conversation to maximise the board’s ability to focus on strategic priorities. One approach discussed was the idea of front-loading the agenda with high-impact discussions. This means dealing with routine matters, like declarations of interest or approval of minutes, quickly and early, leaving ample time for deeper conversations later.
Once the routine items are out of the way, the agenda should pivot to big strategic issues. This is where the real work of the board happens. By tackling these topics when directors are fresh and alert, the board can engage in more thoughtful and productive discussions.
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Consent agendas: a simple tool to save time
An often underutilised tool for improving board efficiency is the consent agenda. By grouping non-controversial items into a single block for approval, boards can save valuable time. These might include reports for noting or routine updates that don’t require discussion. If a director wants to pull something out for further review, they can—but otherwise, the board can approve the entire consent agenda in one motion.
This frees up time for the board to focus on the issues that truly require their attention. It’s a simple tool, but one that can make a significant difference in how effectively the board spends its meeting time.
The importance of asking strategic questions
A key takeaway from the webinar is that board reports need to do more than present information—they should spark strategic discussions. Every report presented to the board should include a section for ‘strategic questions for consideration’. This prompts directors to think beyond the numbers or updates and engage in deeper discussions about the long-term implications of what they’re reviewing.
For example, when reviewing a financial report, the board should not simply ask, ‘What happened?’ but rather, ‘What does this tell us about the future?’ Directors need to challenge themselves to think about the bigger picture and what the report means for the organisation’s strategy moving forward.
Risk management as a strategic discussion
Risk is another area where boards often struggle to maintain a strategic focus. Too often, risk reports are treated as compliance exercises rather than opportunities for strategic discussion. Boards should move beyond simply reviewing risk registers and consider what these risks mean for the future of the organisation.
For instance, if a risk is flagged as critical, the conversation shouldn’t just end there. The board should ask, ‘What can we do to turn this risk into an opportunity?’ By framing risk management as a strategic discussion, boards can leverage their understanding of risks to drive innovation and growth.
Making the agenda work for your board
A well-structured agenda is the foundation of effective governance. It’s the tool that ensures the board is focused on the decisions that matter most and keeps discussions aligned with the organisation’s long-term vision. By prioritising strategic conversations, using tools like consent agendas, and framing discussions around the vision, boards can significantly improve their governance processes.
Boards must resist the temptation to get consumed by operational matters. Instead, they should use the agenda as a guide to stay focused on the future and make decisions that will have a lasting impact. With the right structure and a clear focus, the agenda can become the board’s most powerful tool for governance.
Being prepared to review and change meeting structures to get the best outcomes is vital if boards are to achieve their potential.