Meeting Management Insights by iBabs Board Portal Software

It is vitally important to get the board report right because this is that informs directors of the current and forecasted performance. So, you must make sure it contains everything the board need to know, in a clear and concise format. As the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) rightfully notes,  “In order to make the right decisions, directors must base them on good-quality, timely information on how their businesses are performing. The quality of performance reporting to boards is therefore one of the key factors affecting companies’ competitiveness.” Consultancy firm McKinsey has confirmed this in a 2016 survey of corporate directors. The responses indicated that only 22% of boards completely understood their companies’ strategies, with just 36% completely understanding their firms’ financial position. When a board does not fully grasp these key requirements, it can affect the effectiveness of their decision making. One way to avoid this pitfall is […]

Find out why a board meeting agenda is important, how to write one like a pro and fantastic tools to help you distribute and collaborate on it with board members. If you are a board secretary, you’ll find everything you need to know about this vital task in the guide below. Let’s begin!  The Importance of a Board Meeting Agenda An effective board meeting agenda serves to create a smooth meeting flow. It helps the meeting begin and end when it should while ensuring there is enough time to discuss and vote on the most important topics. When combined with a skilled chairperson, a solid agenda increases the efficiency of the meeting, which is of huge benefit to the business.  An effective board meeting agenda provides all members with access to relevant research, background information and reports on all discussion points ahead of time. This removes the need to bring […]

The Chartered Governance Institute says it is “essential that boards conduct their meetings with a view to optimising the use of the time and intellectual capital of their members.” Due to the expertise required for a person to serve on a board, there are high expectations of how they behave in a board meeting setting. This is why a board meeting protocol tends to be based more in tradition and formality than similar documents for other types of meetings. This formality is borne out of respect for the other members of the board. They are all members of the board because they have an individual insight into the business and sector that sets them apart from other professionals. Following the board meeting protocol ensures the meeting runs to time which is a mark of respect for the busy lives the members lead. What is a Board Meeting Protocol?  The board […]

A board pack is a collection of documents and reports which is presented to board members before their next meeting. You should ensure that it is both clear and easy to read, making it a handy reference tool for directors. But what is the purpose of the pack and what should you include in it? This article explains everything you need to know about creating effective board packs.  The Purpose of Board Packs The purpose of a board pack is to provide every board member with the latest data and information they need before heading into a board meeting. It condenses the relevant information into a handy and digestible format to give members a clear overview of the current state of the business.  Also known as a meeting pack, it allows members of the board of directors to stay focused and debate the topics in a relevant and productive manner. […]

There are many skills a successful chair has to develop to make sure everything runs smoothly, including how to close a board meeting. Knowing when to adjourn the meeting and how to ensure directors have covered all important agenda items is an art on its own. Board members certainly don’t want the meeting to continue for too long but they may digress. It’s the chair’s responsibility to help them stay focused on the order of business and perform their vital tasks.  This article explains the reasons why the meeting might come to an end, the steps to take to close proceedings and the words that chairs most often use to complete the meeting. Keep reading to discover all of this and more about running productive board meetings.  Who is in Charge of Closing the Board Meeting? It is the chair’s responsibility to both open and close the board meeting. The […]

The chairperson’s role in a board meeting is hugely important. They have to steer the board to make decisions in the company’s best interests, make sure that all the important topics are discussed and for how long, and move the meeting forward with momentum so as to best use the members’ important time. That is why we have put together this guide to chairing a board meeting and a script example to help you out. The chair’s job is unique in many ways. As Roger Parry, chairman of MSQ partners told Management Today, said,  “’People do what the chief executive asks because they are in an employer-employee situation. But the chairman’s role is about influence and persuasion; it’s about making sure that the board has a proper discussion about the things that really matter.” And it’s not just the delicate situation in which a chair typically has to operate. There […]

Board meetings are the lifeblood of a successful business. They shape the future strategy of the company, the unique approach to execution, and the response to up and coming risks.  Unfortunately, in many cases, board meetings are not as productive as they could (and should) be. As recently as 2019, strategy experts Ernst & Young found that more than a third of corporate leaders felt that developing “better engagement around strategy development and monitoring of strategic execution” was still the biggest challenge they faced. This shows why companies need to make the most of the opportunities they have when they convene the board together.  In order to improve this engagement, efficiency is key in organising the definitive meeting and utilising the expertise of the board. It is also worth considering that the most productive people work in chunks of 52 minutes, meaning that simply extending the length of the meeting […]

Minute taking is a skill that forms an essential element of every board secretary’s arsenal. The demand to complete this task quickly and accurately in meetings is not only important for the business, but it is also a legal requirement for board meetings in some countries. If you want to know more about taking effective meeting minutes, what they are, why they are important and what they should and shouldn’t include, this guide will reveal it all.  What Are Meeting Minutes?  Minutes are an official written record of the themes, purposes and outcomes of a meeting. They are sometimes referred to as ‘protocols’ or ‘notes’, but the most common term is ‘minutes’. You can appoint any meeting attendee to take the minute, but most often it is a task for the secretary.  You should keep the minutes of the meeting on record as a legal reference point either within your […]