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Unlike a CEO who handles the day-to-day work of an organisation, a board concentrates on the bigger picture and is responsible for making high-level decisions. The board selects and, if necessary replaces a company’s CEO and is accountable for the company’s fiduciary responsibility to its shareholders and other stakeholders.

Thus a highly-performing and engaged board will approach staff members as colleagues and not as subordinates. The members who are respectful and thoughtful of the board listen to their employees and treat them in a fair manner even if they don’t agree with the employee’s view. Regardless of the size of an company, board members are required to act on issues that affect the mission of the organization.

A key to effective governance of the board is clear minutes of meetings. The minutes can help those who aren’t present comprehend what transpired during the meeting, and can clarify any strategies or metrics which are required to be monitored. Boards that spend the time to prepare concise, clear minutes are better prepared to navigate legal challenges.

To find out more about how to create efficient minutes of board meetings, check out this blog post from SSIR. The blog is an excellent resource for anyone interested in board governance with a focus on not-for-profit boards.