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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...

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 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...

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...

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...

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...