what should be excluded in the minutes of a meeting
Board meetings differ greatly in the manner they’re conducted – from the formal (aligning every name to that of their official titles, having meetings in a boardroom governed by strict rules and rigorous procedures) to more informal (meetings can be held anywhere from coffee shops to the members’ homes). They could be closed or open to the public and decisions can be made by a variety of means.
The most important requirement for an effective board meeting is that members are aware of the process by which decisions must be taken. It could be as easy as deciding to seek consensus, or as difficult as implementing a formal voting process with a predetermined majority requirement.
The second essential component of a board meeting is an agenda with all the topics to be discussed, usually sent prior to the meeting so that the members can prepare and be prepared for discussion. The agenda should have the right balance of evaluating past performance and planning future goals. It should also include the opportunity to address day to problems of the day, however it is essential that the main focus is on strategic discussions and not just reviewing the past.
It’s also important that the chair of the board leads effectively – making sure the meeting is at the right time, that everyone is given adequate time to discuss each item and that all questions are addressed. They should ensure that the board isn’t distracted and that the overall discussion is beneficial to the organization. The chair should encourage discussion and allow for different opinions to be heard. The chair may change the order of the agenda and remove items as necessary.