Effective Board Meetings: What the Research Says

Board meetings are the board’s most important working format. This is where issues are discussed, decisions are made, and responsibilities are assigned. Yet research shows that a significant portion of meeting time is not used effectively. Here, we’ll go over what meeting research says, what usually goes wrong, and what the board can do about it.

Half of the meeting time is not used effectively

Steven Rogelberg, a professor of organizational psychology, is one of the most cited researchers in the field of meeting research. His conclusion is that it is rarely an entire meeting that is a waste of time, but that about half of the meeting time is not used effectively. In a study he conducted in collaboration with Otter.ai, participants rated nearly one-third of their meetings as unnecessary.
These figures apply to meetings in general, but the pattern is familiar from board work. Moreover, a board often meets only a few times per term, which means that every hour of a meeting carries significant weight.

This usually goes wrong

Research identifies a number of recurring reasons why meetings are perceived as ineffective. Rogelberg and his colleagues highlight, among other things, meetings without a substantive agenda, discussions that lose focus, meetings that start and end late, and a lack of follow-up on what is discussed.
The agenda is one of the most common shortcomings. According to the research literature, about one-third of all meetings are held without any agenda at all, and in nearly as many cases, the agenda is not sent out to participants in advance. Without an agenda in advance, board members cannot prepare, and the meeting is spent reviewing background materials instead of making decisions.
For a board of directors, a lack of follow-through is the most costly mistake. A decision that never materializes is, in practice, a meeting that never took place.

Four Ways to Get More Out of Board Meetings

1. Think through the purpose of the meeting beforehand.Rogelberg recommends a brief reflection before the meeting—which can take just a few minutes—during which you review the agenda, the goals, the order of the items, and any potential issues that may arise. What decisions does the board need to make, and what do the members need to know beforehand?

2. Send out the meeting notice, agenda, and supporting documents well in advance.When members have the materials a few days before the meeting,the meeting can be devoted to discussion and decision-making rather than reviewing the documents.

3. Structure the agenda around items that require a decision.Each item on the agenda should be justified by the fact that it requires a decision or discussion by the board. Rogelberg makes it clear that it is better to cancel a meeting than to hold one without a compelling agenda. Items that are purely informational can often be sent out in advance.

4. Conclude each item by specifying who will do what and by when.A decision is only finalized once someone has been assigned responsibility for it. Begin the next meeting by following up on what has happened since the last meeting.

How Reduca Makes Things Easier

Reduca is built around this structure. Notices of meetings, agendas, and documents are gathered in one place and sent out to all board members at the same time. The minutes are entered directly into the meeting template and signed with BankID after the meeting. Decisions are recorded in the decision log and can be turned into entries with an assigned person and a date, so they’re available when the board meets next. The annual calendar shows what’s coming up throughout the year, ensuring that important issues are addressed in a timely manner.

Would you like to see how it works in practice? Book a demo or try Reduca for free

Sources
Perlow, L. A., Hadley, C. N., and Eun, E. (2017). “Stop the Meeting Madness.” Harvard Business Review.
Rogelberg, S. G. (2019). *The Surprising Science of Meetings*. Oxford University Press.
Rogelberg, S. G., et al. (2010). “Employee satisfaction with meetings.” *Human Resource Management*.