Board member engagement: 20 topics for productive meetings

Are you hearing feedback from your directors that your board meetings are bland? Or worse, is meeting attendance in decline and you don’t know why? Chances are your meetings are getting too informational and have fallen into a predictable pattern, and you need to get more strategic.

Studies show that engaging directors in strategic dialog, as well as educating them in your organization’s challenges, is essential to retaining directors and achieving productive board discussions.

In this post, we’ll provide you with 20 examples of board meeting topics that you can add to your board agenda planning to better educate and productively engage your directors in strategic decisions.

Why is director engagement in strategy important?

The data doesn’t lie – according to research by McKinsey, involving directors in strategic dialog and asking tough questions boosts board effectiveness. And, after all the work that’s been done to recruit skilled and diverse directors, why wouldn’t you invite them to add constructive value to the corporate strategy?

If you’re hesitant to put hard questions about your organization on the table for fear of getting unproductive opinions or scaring off directors, resist that hesitation. Directors truly want to learn about your organization’s complexity in strategic discussions and want to be involved. Plus you can frame it as “want to welcome some perspectives” as your organization considers the path ahead.

In a survey conducted by McKinsey, two thirds of directors stated that they’d like to spend additional time in board meetings discussing strategy. However, a related study found that 44% of directors are shut out from strategic dialog and are asked instead to only review and approve the management team’s proposed strategies often developed in isolation.

In the same survey, only 10% of directors felt they understood the industry dynamics in which their companies operate, and, as a result, only 21% of them claimed to have a good understanding of their organization’s current strategy.

What gets in the way of inviting board members into strategic discussions?

Perhaps it’s the disconnect between boards and what happens at meetings that causes a fear that making the board agenda more strategic will convey the message that the organization is in trouble. Or perhaps it’s the fear of changing the way the board has always done things, or the view that you’re “taking away” the job of the management team.

But cutting board members out of key discussions will cost you. It’s common for board members to resign if they feel they aren’t contributing to board performance and effectiveness, and properly informed directors can provide critical insight on how your organization can improve its performance.

So how can you boost board engagement and meeting effectiveness? It really all starts with educating your board in industry dynamics. With engaged and educated directors, board meetings can become more strategic and outcomes are much more likely to be productive. It also doesn’t hurt that engaged directors will gain feelings of shared commitment and understanding just from being more involved.

See related: Why are meetings unproductive and how can you revive them?

Educational topics to add to your board meeting agenda to engage directors

Keeping board members informed and up-to-date on important industry trends, regulatory changes, and organizational processes is critical for effective governance. Dedicating time during board meetings to educational sessions can empower directors to make more strategic and impactful decisions.

Consider incorporating some of these educational topics into your next board meeting agenda:

1. What are the latest industry developments, market shifts and regulatory changes that could impact our organization?
2. Considering competitor activity, how can we position our organization and its leaders as thought leaders within our industry or community?
3. What emerging cyber threats should we be aware of, and how can we improve our information security safeguards?
4. How are we employing AI to enhance our productivity, with security in mind?
5. What does our disaster recovery and business continuity plan entail?
6. Review current customer community needs and how they are evolving.
7. What are board member responsibilities and core duties, and how can we ensure we are fulfilling them effectively?
8. What is our succession planning process, and how do we conduct organizational leadership reviews?
9. What ongoing board member education and training should we provide to new and existing board members to enhance their knowledge and expertise?
10. What is our strategic planning process, and how are we translating our vision into measurable goals and action plans?

Strategic topics to include on the agenda for board engagement

Engaging board members goes beyond simply reviewing financial reports and operational updates. Incorporating strategic discussion topics into board meeting agendas can foster deeper dialogue, leverage the expertise of board members, and ensure the organization is well-positioned for the future.

Consider adding some of these thought-provoking strategic items to your next board meeting:

1. How do we stack up against industry peers, and what are our unique competitive advantages?
2. What are the key risks facing the organization today, 2 years and 5 years from today, and how much risk are we willing to take on to achieve our objectives?
3. Should we consider entering new markets or expanding our geographic footprint? What are the risks and potential rewards?
4. What new offerings can we develop to better meet the evolving needs of our customers?
5. How can we leverage technology to improve operational efficiency and enhance the experience for our customers?
6. How can we communicate our strategic vision and financial performance effectively to our shareholders or investors more effectively?
7. Does our current structure, leadership team, and talent pool align with our strategic goals? What changes may be needed?
8. What steps are we taking to enhance our organization’s ability to adapt and thrive in the face of disruption or crisis?
9. How can we enhance our ESG performance to positively impact stakeholders and drive long-term sustainability?
10. What steps can we take to foster a thriving, purpose-driven culture that attracts and retains top talent?

Board member preparation and meeting follow-up is also key for board engagement

Effective board member engagement goes beyond just an effective agenda and the board meeting itself. It starts with how the meeting is planned and prepared for, as well as how actions and decisions are followed up on afterwards.

Provide board members with meeting materials and relevant information well in advance. This gives the board of directors adequate time to review the agenda, financials, reports, and any other educational documents before the meeting. Encouraging board members to come prepared with questions, insights, and ideas will foster more meaningful discussion and participation during the meeting.

But the work of board engagement begins before the board meeting. After materials are circulated, the board chair should reach out one on one to at least a few board members to give them forewarning on key topics, considerations and discussion and input you are seeking. Those board members then come ready to start a productive dialog. Make sure you rotate who is called to keep participation equitable.

And after the board meeting ends, follow through. Track action items, decisions made, and next steps to ensure accountability and transparency. Effectively communicating the meeting outcomes helps keep everyone informed and demonstrates the board’s diligence and commitment to good governance.

By thoughtfully planning the meeting preparation and follow-up process, organizations can set the stage for truly productive and engaging board discussions and decision-making. This lays the foundation for the board to provide strategic oversight, offer valuable guidance and fulfill their fiduciary duties to the best of their ability.

See related: How does a board of directors portal impact board governance?

Board member engagement starts with convenient meeting prep – how technology can help

In conversations with boards that Aprio serves, we hear that board technology that makes it easy for board members to access and review board materials conveniently in advance of meetings has a significant impact on improving board engagement and meeting attendance.

With board meeting software, board members can securely access agendas, board materials, strategic plans, committee reports, and easily search for other crucial documents in advance of meetings. This allows them to come prepared, ready to contribute meaningfully to discussions.

Additionally, the ability to track meeting minutes, action items and decisions through a centralized board portal enhances focus on strategic priorities, accountability and follow-through. Board members can see the next education and strategic topics coming in the calendar and feel included and engaged due to transparent, good board governance.

Want to know more about how Aprio board portal software can help increase board member engagement and help you run productive board meetings? Get in touch with our team. We’d love to learn more about your needs and governance goals.