Board meetings are not only for key decision-making; they are also a time of fellowship among members.

Many boards however, never get the fellowship because the meetings themselves take so long that the group is exhausted and ready to head home when the final gavel finally falls.

Getting the job done more efficiently not only makes for a more effective board; it also opens the door to getting to know each other after the meetings — making the board even stronger.

To make meeting time more productive (and shorter!), here are a few ideas:

Pre-meeting packets
The agenda, minutes of the previous meeting and background information on any decisions should be in a pre-meeting packet emailed to each board member a few days before the meeting. While the packet can be mailed, e-mail works best because late updates can be sent with a click of the mouse. When the meeting begins, the minutes can be passed in short order. Having background info. on key decisions (cost analyses, etc.) puts everyone on the same page and eliminates unneeded questions and digging for answers.

Keep decisions to a minimum
Many boards make decisions intended for staff members. For instance, if the board passes an advertising budget of say — $10,000 — the decisions within that budget (how much for radio, newspaper and Yellow Pages?) lie with the executive director. The executive director makes the calls and reports to the board.

If a board is spending meeting time on who should speak at a banquet, or which evangelistic brochure to purchase — it is wasting time. On these decisions, the executive director may seek input ("Here are some ideas; contact me at some point in the next week and let me know what you think") but the final call rests with the CEO.

Take time to think "vision"
Though this one would appear to add to our meeting time, setting a specific window of time to consider the vision for the future is key to limiting long discussions on peripheral issues. Regularly review and modify the 3-5 year plan during board meetings; monitoring progress. This keeps the big picture front and center.

If a board does not have this plan, set aside time to create one. Where do we want to be in three years? Setting 30 minutes aside for this specific discussion starts the ball rolling toward a strong future. At each meeting, take the time to continue working on the plan so that we do not lose our sense of mission.

Three keys, shorter meetings. In the end, more time to build personal relationships, understand our different ideas and motivations — and strengthen the board and the ministry.