Taking the pain out of running your Board meetings

Taking the pain out of running your Board meetings

Do you spend hours and hours servicing your committee and board meetings? Time that could be better spent doing something else? Many companies choose Bridgehouse to service their meetings for them. We offer a range of Board support services, from simply attending and minuting your meetings to full and comprehensive meeting support which includes preparing agendas, forward plans, putting Board meeting packs together and organising follow up actions post-meeting.

Outsiders rarely appreciate the amount of paperwork a single meeting can generate. But because it is what we do, day in and day out, we can assist with making sure your board and committee meetings run smoothly, using tried and tested techniques such as meeting plans and taking accurate minutes of board meetings.

Getting the most from your meetings

Are you concerned that your meetings aren’t as effective as they could be? Meetings are necessary for decision-making, reporting back, reviewing issues, problem-solving and discussion but, in reality, running a productive meeting can be challenging and participants may often leave the board room feeling that it has not been a good use of their time.

Having attended thousands of Board meetings, across different sectors and industries, Bridgehouse consultants are well placed to help you get the most from your meetings. We can help resolve common problems, which can include long discussions with no conclusion; Decision-making based on inadequate information; Low attendance; and uneven participation.

We do this by first ensuring that meetings are well planned out in advance. An annual Forward Plan is a key tool to help companies ensure that key items are considered at the right time, and are supported by detailed information being provided to the Board upfront. So much time can be spent on chasing and collating reports – an often tedious task that Bridgehouse can happily take off your hands.We are well practiced at requesting and chasing reports to ensure that they are sent to the Board at least seven days before the meeting date. In addition, with the benefit of technology, board members no longer have to wait for reports to be posted by snail mail. We are practised in using several board portals and can advise your organisation’s board on the most appropriate tools to share board papers electronically.

Let someone else take the minutes

The Reports have been written and circulated and it’s now time for the meeting itself. With its experienced team members, Bridgehouse can provide an expert minute-taker to attend your meetings, creating professional and detailed minutes which will be provided to your Chairman within 5 working days of the meeting. Our team adapts their minute-taking style to suit the individual needs of each organisation, ensuring a consistent style for each client.

Follow – up: ensuring that actions don’t fall off the radar

We ensure all draft board meeting minutes are fully supported by an action list to keep track of any action items arising from the meeting.

We are also happy to provide updates on items highlighted for action to ensure a comprehensive action list is ready for your next meeting, ensuring that no action slips off the radar and that all actions are carried out in a timely manner.

To find out more about how our Board support services can help take the pressure off your inhouse team please contact us.