IMPROVING A BOARD MEETING WITH A CONSENT AGENDA
Why are board meetings so long and often so boring? Maybe it’s because we subject people to sit and listened to long reports, one after another, month after month. We do this because we believe that as board members they have to know what’s going on at the agency. But people can read, and prefer to read, if they know that the same material will not be covered again at the meeting. Often they don’t read what we send because they know it’s just going to hear it later.
But what if we said, “Read what we send, because we are not going to repeat it. And we may even have to make decisions based on what’s in the report, so you’d better read it or you’ll not know what you’re voting on.” That’s where the Consent Agenda come in.
What is a Consent Agenda?
As I have indicated many times, the key to a good board is to have board meetings that are inspirational, educational and strategic. This means moving away from old habits. No more, “old business, new business”. No more board meetings whose agenda looks like the last meeting’s agenda. The key to revamping your board meeting is to introduce the Consent Agenda.
A Consent Agenda is a bundle of items, sent in advance, that are to be voted on without discussion. This includes:
• the previous meeting’s agenda
• the chief executive’s report
• committee reports
• informational materials
• correspondence
What should not be in a Consent agenda?
• Audit
• Financial reports
• Executive Committee decisions
By sending this material out in advance, and by stressing the need for board members to read it in order to approve it, you can turn the board meeting away from people passively listening and to have time for engaging, important discussions and interactions.
Next blog: How to utilize a Consent Agenda
Tags: consent agenda, fund raising, nonprofit