Articles

10 Common Board Paper Problems & How to Fix Them

For board meetings to be impactful, directors need board papers that clearly communicate the right information in an actionable manner. Unfortunately, many board packs miss the mark on delivering materials that actually inform and empower directors. Below we delve into the 10 most frequent complaints directors have about board papers. We provide concrete examples of each issue, explain the resulting negative impacts, and offer suggested solutions to help you to improve your board packs.

Flying Minutes: Uses, Benefits and Risks of Circular Board Resolutions

Flying minutes, also called circular resolutions, allow board decisions outside regular meetings. This guide covers creating, distributing, and recording flying minutes using board software for timely governance.

Ensuring Your Board of Directors is Diligent

Practical tips and strategies for company secretaries, chair persons, and CEOs to promote diligent pre-reading of board packs by board directors

Managing Conflicts of Interest in Non-Profits

Conflicts of interest often crop up on charity & non-profit boards due to connected relationships. Even potential conflicts can damage trust & credibility. Key strategies: develop policies, maintain register, establish culture of disclosure via training, documentation & communication.

Crafting a Board Paper Policy for Effective Information Flow

A robust board paper policy will help you create better board packs and is essential for ensuring directors receive the right information at the right time to fulfil their duties. In this comprehensive article we provide guidance on developing a board paper policy that will streamline your board papers and board reporting. Follow these tips to help you implement a board paper policy that meets your board’s needs. Why do you need a Board Paper Policy?

Promoting Trust Through Transparency in Board Reporting

Discover how to use board reporting to build trust. Management should define needs, provide balanced insights, verify accuracy, meet deadlines, admit imperfections, reinforce expectations, and listen to feedback to elevate reporting quality.

Board Meeting Etiquette

Board meeting etiquette tips like arriving on time, limiting distractions, listening, and more enable productive governance. Directors should prepare thoroughly, share speaking time, disagree respectfully, reach consensus, and integrate practices from diverse cultures.

Board Members with Ego

Effective Board meetings require self-aware members, clear roles, disciplined focus on priorities, constructive debate, decisive facilitation, and avoidance of tangents, ego, groupthink, and micromanaging.

Who Should Control the Reporting of Information to the Board?

Boards must proactively control reporting rather than passively receive what management provides. Controlling information flow enables oversight, reduces bias, aligns with legal duties, allows setting expectations, and mitigates risks of inadequate reporting.

How to Provide the Information Your Board Needs for Effective Decisions

Learn how to empower board decisions through effective reporting - focus on strategic insights, provide relevant info concisely, verify quality data, structure logically, use visuals, emphasize analysis not just data, and solicit director feedback.