In the world of board meetings, there are a lot of rules. It’s good practice, since it ensures that discussions are fair and productive. However, the sheer number of rules could become overwhelming, especially for a new chair or even the experienced one. In this article, we will look at seven of the most important rules for board meetings that are essential for achieving constructive dialogue and achieving results.

Rule 1: The order of precedence must always be followed.

The chairperson of the board must ensure that discussions remain focussed on the items on their agenda. Every member has a responsibility to respect and listen to the opinions of other members. To speak members must notify the chairperson by raising their hands or standing up. The chairperson then allows the member to voice their opinion. The chairperson should follow Robert’s Rules of Order in deciding which types of motions should have more importance and which methods to use to acknowledge (i.e. raising your hand or asking permission).

Rule 2: One point at a time is discussed.

In the midst of new issues, board meetings will consume valuable time and distract attention from the most important topics. To avoid this the board’s leader can include a “parking area” at the end where they can bring up important topics which are not most important ones. The board leader could then promise to revisit the parking area and consider whether these issues should be added to the next agenda, pushed to a different meeting, or assigned as an item.

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