Even the best projects can have difficulty getting buy-in from a Board of Directors, but just because the process is painstaking doesn’t mean it isn’t working.

Board members often have a fiduciary responsibility to the organizations they serve, so when they make a decision—especially one with financial implications—they darn well better deliberate about it!

However, if your board is continually butting heads and harboring resentment (toward the staff or toward one another), it could be symptomatic of an underlying problem that has little to do with a particular project.

Miscommunication, a crammed calendar, unclear expectations—and yeah, pesky ol’ politics—can cause tension and discord where productive dialogue might otherwise prevail.

While some of these factors might be beyond your control at times, there are steps you can take to encourage more streamlined—and civil—board proceedings.

1. EQUIP THEM WITH INFORMATION

Board members may arrive to the meeting fully informed and prepared to engage in productive discussion. To facilitate this, staff can provide a complete information packet to each board member at least one FULL week (including a weekend) prior to the meeting. This packet includes an agenda, minutes from the previous meeting, any and all primary documents that require a vote of approval (such as budgets, contracts, legislation, et al) and an accompanying staff report or summary page for each agenda item. In addition to distributing these materials early and directly to each board member, make yourself available to answer simple questions in advance so that you don’t spend precious meeting time on tedious clarifications.

When there is a ton of information to slog through, or a really big vote on a complex matter, it may be worth holding a dedicated Work Session prior to the voting meeting. Yes, it’s another date on the calendar, but it could actually save everyone time in the long run. In general, a Work Session is just an opportunity for board members to ask clarifying questions of the staff to get a deeper, more detailed understanding of the project before convening for a vote. Work Sessions are typically not mandatory, and it should be clearly communicated—to board members, staff, the public, the media—that NO official businesses will be conducted. That means no official minutes recorded, no votes taken, no public comment, and in some cases, not even conversation among board members that could be construed as “deliberation” toward a decision. (Note: these rules vary greatly among different types of organizations. Refer to your governing documents or legal counsel to confirm what requirements apply to your work sessions and regular meetings.)

1. RESPECT THEIR TIME

Especially for larger boards, it can be a feat just to get everyone in the same room. Coordinating calendars is, ironically, a time suck in itself. That’s why many boards publish an annual meeting calendar and stick to it! But in the real world, that’s not always possible. The next time you have to schedule an impromptu meeting, try using Doodle, a free tool that lets you poll everyone for their available timeslots and then choose the date and time that works for the greatest number of respondents.

The second part of this suggestion is to try—REALLY hard—to keep board meetings to one hour. There will be exceptions, yes, but everyone will appreciate sincere efforts to stay on task and on time. If you regularly have too much on the agenda to get through in one hour, consider whether your board needs to meet more frequently, e.g. once a month instead of once a quarter.

1. ESTABLISH GROUND RULES

Setting some procedural rules can go a long way to maintaining decorum at your board meetings and providing a path to restore order if the conversation goes off the rails. The classic Robert’s Rules of Order might feel a bit formal for some, but it’s an excellent starting point that you can adapt to fit your own organizational needs and culture. Of course, adopting procedural rules is only the half of it –you have to practice them, too. Having a designated, non-voting rules referee will help guard against arbitrary enforcement and keep things moving (per #2 above). This could be a staff person or emeritus board member.

1. PRESENT CLEAR EXPECTATIONS

Often it falls to staff to orient new board members. Greet them with a welcome packet that includes all pertinent contact information, your meeting schedule, governing documents (e.g. charter, bylaws) and a sample or past meeting agenda so they can get a feel for the format. If you have chosen to follow Robert’s Rules or your own adaptation, include a copy of that as well. You may also want to consider instituting a Board Commitment Form detailing expectations and responsibilities that each member signs upon accepting his or her seat. It sets a tone of professionalism, integrity and transparency right from the get-go.

1. SHOW SOME HOSPITALITY

In all seriousness, refreshments can work wonders. If you can afford it, make board meetings just a tad more special by offering hot coffee, water and some light snacks. It shows the board members that you appreciate them and reinforces the notion that meetings are (or at least can be) pleasant and comfortable. Put pens, scratch paper and a fresh copy of the agenda at each seat before they arrive. Depending on the people in the room and/or the particular business on the agenda, you may want to consider using name cards to assign seats. This can be a great, non-confrontational strategy for curbing table talk or deterring clashes. If you have a large board or several new members, it can also help them get to know one another.

Once you have implemented a routine of best practices for your board, take a moment to remind yourself before each meeting that everyone around the table is a human being—presumably, one who cares a great deal about your organization. As long as this common ground remains, you have a solid foundation for taking care of business.