A well-written agenda for your board meetings will ensure that you have productive, enjoyable discussions with a clear plan for addressing the organization's most important topics. No matter if your meetings are held in person or via virtual the use of a well-planned agenda will allow participants to be engaged throughout the entire time.

A well-planned agenda starts with an unambiguous and concise calling to order which announces the start of the meeting, or any other proceedings. This could include the name of the chairperson, as well as an explanation of the purpose of the meeting.

The next agenda for the board meeting should include a short report or presentation from the CEO or executive director on the company's current performance and the most important initiatives. It's also helpful to include a section on committee reports from the finance, governance, and nominating committees as required.

If your organization has guest speakers or open forum discussions, make sure you allocate time for them. Also, you should leave room for any special announcements or other recognition, such as congratulations, or announcements. You should also allow space for future business issues that require to be discussed or followed-up on.

It is common for people to be sidetracked by new topics of discussion, which can make your meeting lose momentum. Make sure you have parking space at the end of your agenda where you can bring up new ideas to further discussion. It is also important to include a rough estimation of how long each subject will require to discuss. This will allow you to avoid running over the schedule for board meetings. To ensure that your agenda stays on track, if you can't decide on a topic at the board meeting, shift it to the next one.