I led Clari’s first board meeting in 2013.
Since then, we’ve grown from the garage to a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. And board meetings have been an essential part of the journey.
When run correctly, board meetings can:
- Unlock new business insights
- Solve critical problems
- Unify your entire org
Sadly, too many board meetings miss the mark. They’re flat, operational read-outs that waste valuable resources and keep the high-powered board on the sidelines.
That’s why I put together The Executive’s Guide to Board Meetings, a comprehensive document that helps senior leaders prepare for, deliver, and follow up efficiently for all board meetings.
Today, I’d like to focus on the “why” behind board meetings. The mindset that’s helped me turn Clari board meetings into our most valuable session every quarter. Then, if you’d like to see the “how,” including a step-by-step process, you can download your copy of The Executive’s Guide to Board Meetings here.
Let’s get started.
1. Set your meeting up for success
Benjamin Franklin famously said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
He was talking about fire prevention in Philadelphia — helping the city’s population understand the importance of stopping fires before they start. His advocacy saved lives and taught an invaluable lesson about the importance of planning ahead.
The same idea applies to board meetings. Every minute you invest in preparation pays dividends the second you step into the room.
As CEO, I never want a fire to start because we failed to prepare.
That’s why my team and I invest time gathering key details, harvesting agenda items, and anticipating pushback. By the time the board meeting starts, we’re ready for any scenario.
Grab the guide to learn more about preparation, including:
- How to structure pre-reads
- How to navigate the “meetings between the meetings”
- How to anticipate questions like a pro
2. Activate healthy debate and focused conversation
Early Clari board meetings were operational read-outs.
I’d showcase every detail, leaving very little time for creative discussions and constructive debates. Board members left with a good understanding of what was happening, but my exec team left without a clear direction forward.
We were wasting valuable time and our best resources.
So we revamped our board meetings to be more collaborative, more strategically focused, and more of a platform to leverage board members’ various areas of expertise.
From wide to targeted. From informational to problem-solving.
Today, I focus on bringing out healthy debate in the room. This equips the exec team with the insights they need and engages the board at a deeper level.
It’s a win-win.
Grab the guide to learn more about delivery, including:
- How to structure meeting time
- How to set your board meeting tone with intention
- How to activate healthy debate within the room
3. Keep everyone informed with strong follow-up
Too many boards sit on the sidelines.
Why?
These are highly skilled experts with a vested interest in your success. Individuals with superpowers you can use to drive the business forward.
They need to be in the game.
That’s why I invest time thinking about what happens after the meeting. Making sure the exec team has what they need to run at pace. Planning out the right way to engage the board with strong follow-up throughout the rest of the quarter.
One-and-done board meetings may get you through the quarter. But they won’t move the needle on your most business-critical challenges.
That’s where follow-up comes in.
Grab the guide to learn more about follow-up, including:
- How to recap with precision
- How to codify key decisions
- How to engage the board in follow-up conversations
Are you maximizing board meetings?
Don’t let your high-value resource go to waste.
With the right structure, you can turn your board meetings from an operational read-out into a transformative business tool.
Focus on:
- Preparation. Set your meeting up for success.
- Delivery. Activate healthy debate and focused conversation.
- Follow-up. Keep everyone informed and motivated.
And for a deeper dive into this board meeting playbook, be sure to grab your copy of The Executive’s Guide to Board Meetings.
Hope this helps,
Andy Byrne
CEO, Clari