Honest and transparent board members’ communications foster a sense of trust that encourages accountability. This leads to an organization’s board that is more aligned and engaged, and empowered to make decisions that support the organization’s objectives.
From the beginning of their term the new board members need to be aware of their responsibilities and expected outcomes. This includes the need to volunteer time, build professional and personal connections as well as participating in fundraising activities. A welcome letter will outline the communication channels, meeting times and other relevant details to help new board directors make their way quickly.
Different people process information differently, so it’s essential to customize communications for board members according to their specific preferences. Some people prefer reading lengthy reports, whereas others might better understand visualizations of data. Avoid technical terminology when writing reports and other information to help make it easier to comprehend. If necessary to, use analogies or real-world examples to illustrate the implications or data in reports.
It’s also crucial to mix up the style of board meetings rather than relying on PowerPoint presentations. Mixing up formats can aid in limiting the length of meetings and boost participation and creativity among board members.
Ensure that board members are able to quickly access the information they require even during meetings. Consider investing in an electronic document-sharing platform that is secure, user-friendly features and high levels of scalability and compliance with the regulations on data protection. Some of the top solutions include Diligent Boards, BoardEffect, Passageways OnBoard and Aporio.
http://boardroomtalk.org/board-of-directors-composition-best-practices