Tips for a successful meeting
The AGM should be planned well in advance and board members need to come well prepared. It is not only the notice that needs to be properly implemented and sent to members in good time, but also the supporting documents that allow members to make informed decisions. In addition, it is important for the board to emphasize the annual report and offer an inspiring meeting to get as much participation and involvement as possible. Here are some tips on how to make the AGM a success.
What is a General Assembly?
The General Assembly is the decision-making body of the organization and all members have the right to attend and participate in its decisions. Members can either attend in person, online or vote by proxy. Each proxy may represent one member, unless the statutes provide otherwise. Remember to update the statutes if you want to have a digital meeting.
What should a notice contain and when should it be sent to members?
The Board is responsible for ensuring that the notice contains the correct information, is sent out at the right time and in the right way according to the statutes. Usually, the notice needs to be sent out two weeks before the meeting.
According to the law and most statutes, the following information must be included in the notice
- An agenda with the items to be discussed
- Place and time of the meeting
- Any motions and board proposals, management report and audit report. Preferably an annual report and supporting documents if a major investment is to be decided or a major and important issue is to be discussed. These documents can be attached to the invitation.
- It is good if the nomination committee has finished its work before the invitation is sent out. Then the nomination committee's proposals for board members and auditors can be sent along.
- Check the statutes to see what your organization needs to include in the notice.
Tips for a successful meeting:
- Inspiring annual report
Create an interesting annual report and share the previous year with members in an inspiring way. - Good planning with a timeline
Decide on a date, time and place. Then allocate responsibilities, set a timeline for when the annual report should be ready, when the notice should be sent out and who should chair the AGM. - Send the notice well in advance
Send the notice and its annexes well in advance to members so that they can come to the meeting well informed and engaged. Send the notice with attachments both by post and e-mail to ensure that all members are reached by the information and keep track of what applies in your particular organization by looking at the statutes. - Well-prepared board
Make sure that the chairperson of the meeting is well informed about all issues so that he or she can chair the meeting in the best possible way. Board members should also be well prepared and know who will respond to different issues. - Nominations to the Board by the Nomination Committee
The Nomination Committee should have a good annual plan to identify the right candidates for the Board. Good communication between the nomination committee and the board makes it easy for the organization to find the right candidate for the right position. Questions that can be good to have with you, what works well and what works poorly at present? What needs does the organization have? What skills are needed? The nomination committee's proposals for candidates should be sent out with the invitation, so that members know who is nominated for the board. - Organize an inspiring talk
Invite an external speaker. It could be a gardener, an expert in interior design, a professional on how members can create coziness on the balcony or a person from the fire authority. Having a speaker at the AGM can increase participation and create more engagement at the AGM, contributing to a better cohesion in the organization. - Provide good food and drinks
An important part of a good atmosphere at the meeting is to provide good food and fresh drinks as most meetings are in the evening after a working day. This ensures that all members are well energized and in a good mood. In addition, food is usually a very good topic of conversation before the meeting starts.
How can the Board Portal facilitate the planning and execution of the meeting?
First of all, the Board can easily set up the meeting as a project and create a timeline with all the planning. It is possible to set up the date, time, place, priority, cost and responsible persons and attach documents. The project is added to the board calendar and automatic reminders via email and SMS are sent before the activity occurs. In addition, having all important documents, agreements and signed minutes gathered in one place facilitates planning and provides the basis for a good activity report. By getting a quick overview of what the year has looked like through the board calendar and project management, the board can easily present the year in an optimal way and also tell about upcoming projects and activities in the organization. In addition, the board can create an agenda, send out invitations with attachments, create minutes based on the agenda and sign minutes directly in the Board Portal, which creates a clear structure and significantly facilitates the administrative work and distribution of meeting documents.
