The roles of a meeting organiser are significant and many. After all, a great deal of responsibility rests on your shoulders, and the overall success of the meeting is shaped heavily by your contribution. When it comes to board meetings, the stakes are even higher.

Board meeting preparation can be done by a number of different individuals, ranging from the corporate secretary (or their assistant) to the chairperson of the board. Regardless of who fulfils this responsibility, the organisation of board meetings is central to their success.

As the organiser of a board meeting, you need to fulfil your duties well in advance of the meeting to successfully create a meeting that leads to real and meaningful action.

This article gives meeting organisers the steps to follow in order to master their board meeting preparation and ultimately drive their organisations forward.

Simple steps for board meeting preparation

Like all processes, organising a board meeting relies on a series of steps or stages that can be planned ahead of time. This means you can assemble a framework to follow, saving time and increasing efficiency, especially given the cyclical and predictable rhythm of board meetings.

Step one: Scheduling

Scheduling board meetings is a vital first step and one that should be completed as far in advance as possible. Board members, whether composed of non-exec or exec directors, are busy people, and their calendars fill up quickly.

By scheduling your board meetings early, you improve the chances of receiving acceptances from everyone. This can require some persistent follow-up, including liaising with individuals and their assistants, but securing confirmations is essential.

Once your date is confirmed, add it to everyone’s calendars immediately. If participants have not accepted the invite within a week, send a reminder. While this may feel administrative and frustrating, last-minute drop-outs are best avoided.

Step two: Outcomes

The second step toward a successful board meeting is to clearly define the desired outcomes. This should apply to every meeting, regardless of format.

Board meetings may follow a formula, but each one is nuanced in terms of subject matter. Start with the minutes from the last meeting to remind yourself of what was discussed and, most importantly, what still needs to be addressed.

From there, determine exactly what this board meeting needs to achieve. A clear and defined purpose will help shape the agenda, which brings us to the next step.

Step three: The agenda

With outcomes defined and participants confirmed, you are ready to ask for contributions and create the meeting agenda.

Here’s how to structure it:

• Include standalone items, phrased as questions
• Add a short description and objective for each item
• Identify an overall meeting leader, and a leader for each item
• Assign timings to each item
• Attach all supporting documents

These simple steps can have a wide-reaching impact. For example, phrasing items as questions helps focus discussion. “Review of progress against plan” is far less effective than “What actions should we take to achieve our annual revenue target?”

Once the draft agenda is ready, share it with participants. Give them space to propose additions or ask clarifying questions early in the process.

If your team already uses a structured approach, such as Agenda Copilot, this step may already be partly built into your workflow.

Step four: Gathering materials

With the agenda defined and shared, it's time to collect the necessary materials. You may need to request documents from different stakeholders, so it is important to start early and set clear deadlines for contributions.

Once you have the materials, distribute them promptly. The earlier participants can review them, the more prepared they will be for the meeting.

In many cases, storing these documents within a secure digital environment such as a board portal can help ensure everything remains accessible and easy to manage.

Step five: Preparation and asynchronous communication

Now that everyone has the agenda and materials, it’s time to open up channels for preparation and discussion.

As the organiser, make sure there are accessible ways for participants to ask questions and collaborate in advance.

Importantly, avoid using email to manage this. Instead, make use of a shared platform or purpose-built meeting software that keeps everything in one place and reduces the risk of confusion.

Step six: The minutes

The final task before the meeting begins is to prepare for minute-taking.

Meeting minutes are not only vital for good governance, but they are also a legal requirement in many jurisdictions and industries. Make sure a dedicated minutes taker is assigned. This could even be your responsibility, depending on your role.

Using a solution like Sherpany allows minutes to be captured directly against agenda items in a centralised environment, making them easier to follow and review.

Your minutes should include:

• A summary of discussions for each item
• Outcomes of decisions and votes
• A list of action items, with clear responsibilities and deadlines

Also, include the date of the next meeting if known, and share the minutes with all participants and at least the chair of the board.

The role of technology in board meeting preparation

The tools you use to organise a board meeting have significant implications.

There are important security considerations, but also practical ones. Email, for instance, is risky and inefficient. Documents can be lost, messages missed, and information hard to track.

Using generic collaboration tools like G-Suite or Microsoft Teams can be helpful in some scenarios, but they are suboptimal for formal meetings.

Purpose-built solutions like Sherpany replace the patchwork of disconnected systems. They offer end-to-end support for meeting preparation, all within a secure and easy-to-use platform.

Removing the pressure from board meeting preparation

Preparing for a board meeting can feel overwhelming. There are stakeholders to manage, deadlines to meet, and details to keep track of.

But with a clear structure and the right tools, you can remove much of the pressure and create a smoother experience for everyone involved.

We hope this step-by-step guide helps you stay focused and confident as you prepare your next board meeting.