Fix boring board meetings by engaging attendees, staying on schedule

Tired of looking around the room at board meetings and feeling like nobody wants to be there? Those meetings can be more interesting and engaging, according to a recent web-exclusive article published by Trustee.

In the article, Luanne R. Stout, chief governance officer of Texas Health Resources, explained how she uses her own personal research and 30 years of experience to make hospital board meetings a positive experience that trustees won’t feel is a waste of their time.

According to Stout, it all starts with improving the agenda. In her time at Texas Health Resources, a 24-hospital system based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth area, she has improved board meetings by putting action items early in the agenda, which gets trustees focused on bigger issues before they become tired or distracted. Also, a time is specified for each item on the agenda, which helps keep everyone on track.

“Streamlining the process and cutting down on presentation time has increased discussion of our most important topics at board meetings,” Stout wrote. “This meeting style has resulted in more engaged, productive board members.”

Stout also shared a list of ten tips on how to present information to trustees at board meeting. For example, she says presenters need to make their point in one minute, because trustees take in a great deal of information at any given meeting. You don’t want your point to get lost in the deluge.

And whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of simply reading the slides of your presentation word-for-word to the group.

“Most people have not enjoyed being read to since childhood,” Stout said. “Presenters should add color commentary, examples and perspective, using a narrative format when possible.”

It’s also important, Stout added, to avoid common traps that can hurt any board meeting, no matter how much consideration went into planning it. Don’t let the discussion of topics such as regulation and accreditation take over a meeting, for example. And don’t allow trustees to gain control of the meeting by focusing on one topic the entire time.