The difference between a productive one-hour meeting and a mind-numbing, four-hour marathon can sometimes be the formatting of the agenda.
Roadmaps help you to get to your destination and get there on time. Your meeting agenda can do the same thing. A few years ago, some co-conspirators and I put on a mock board meeting at a CAI local chapter conference to illustrate the wrong way to conduct a meeting. Here was our agenda (click on the image to enlarge):
Clearly, we used a bit of hyperbole to call out plenty of dysfunction on the Gates of Hell board. There are plenty of nuances (and some not too subtle points) to pick apart. There are two features of this agenda to consider that are commonly used in community associations: (1) the order of business and (2) a missing element. Both can make a big difference.
Prioritize the Important Stuff
The Gates of Hell agenda follows a typical order of business. It does a good job of keeping topics organized, but it can have an unintended consequence. The decision items are the most important things the board will do. Those decisions will have the biggest impact on the quality of life in the community and frequently its financial health. Most board meetings are held in the evenings, with decision items often listed at the end. How fresh and mentally sharp are you at 7PM? And if that’s the start of the meeting, by the time you get to new business, you might be toast. If it’s a marathon meeting, you might be making a six-figure contract approval decision at 10 o’clock at night. How clear-headed will your thinking be while making a decision that will impact the whole community?
The solution? Re-order the agenda. Put action items in as early as possible, before all the reports. Make decisions when you are at your sharpest, not when you might be tempted to get a vote over with as fast as possible because you are tired and cranky.
The Missing Element – A Timed Agenda
A timed agenda can also make a world of difference. If each agenda item is timed, it gives the group a target. It gives the chair a tool to help move the meeting along. Other board members can support that chair by referencing where you are as compared to the agenda. Don’t be a dictator and cut off discussion or reports citing the timing on the agenda. It’s most effective as a gentle nudge and reminder. Simple but effective.
There may be a benefit in taking a hard look at your starting time. I’ve had some clients that intentionally scheduled meetings to start before members have the opportunity to get dinner. Another client Intentionally scheduled their meetings early on Seinfeld night because it motivated them to be efficient. Both of these strategies worked but required board members to be disciplined in another area – preparation.
