“Bored” Meetings or Board Meetings: You Choose

This blog was originally published as a LinkedIn Article in August 2022. We still see some of these meeting types out there and continue to advocate for meetings that engage collaborative creators.

Through our work, we get to go to a lot of board meetings. We see meetings as expressions of an organization’s culture. They reflect the actual values and beliefs of its members better than any written statement on a website. Over the years we’ve noticed a few common types of board meetings. See if any of them feel familiar to you.

Time is money is a response to being overwhelmed by meetings where nothing gets done. The problem isn’t speed, it’s that the team doesn’t have a mechanism for making decisions.

Social hour is a response to bad blood. Members lean into developing and preserving relationship, but in doing they struggle to accomplish the goals of the meeting. The problem isn’t animosity, but having a process where everyone feels heard and supported as the board accomplishes the work of the organization.

Show and tell is a response to a lack of understanding and engagement. The board stays at the 10,000 foot level and shouts, “It looks good from here!” The board needs a way to more fully understand the truth of the organization without losing respect or being forced into an accountability they don’t want to take on.

We believe there’s a better way. Successful boards are “collaborative creators.” They come together to address a particular problem or topic. Leaders have carefully planned the session and participants have done their own homework so everyone arrives in alignment and with the meeting’s purpose in mind. The meeting’s structure allows everyone room to contribute and includes strategies to understand when and how to move on.

The best meetings result from thoughtful planning and preparation. Quire designs interactive sessions that bring every board member into the process. Everyone is better able to bring their full selves into a session when they understand their role and how they can contribute to the success of the organization they’ve chosen to support through their time and wisdom.

Think about how you might be able to bring more thoughtful planning and ‘collaborative creation’ to your next board meeting. We’re sure that the results will be worth it!