Honest and transparent board members’ communication creates a sense trust that fosters accountability. It also leads to a more engaged and aligned board empowered to make decisions that support the organization’s goals.

New board members must be made aware of their duties and expectations prior to the start of their term. This includes the need to volunteer time, making personal and professional connections and also participate in fundraising activities. A welcome letter outlines the communication channels, meeting times and other important information to help new board members settle in quickly.

Different people interpret information in different ways, which is why it’s important to tailor board member communications according to their individual preferences. For example, some may prefer reading long reports, whereas others might be more adept at understanding data visualizations. Avoid technical terminology when writing reports and other information to make it easier to comprehend. If needed you can use analogies and real world examples to illustrate the meaning or the information in reports.

It’s also important to vary the structure of board meetings, instead of relying solely on PowerPoint presentations. Mixing up formats can also assist in limiting the duration of meetings and increase participation and creativity among board members.

Make sure that board members easily access all the information they require, even between meetings. Choose an electronic document sharing platform that has safe, user-friendly functions and high levels of scalability as well as compliance with the regulations on data protection. Some of the most popular options include Diligent Boards, BoardEffect, Passageways OnBoard and Aporio.

https://boardroomtalk.org/board-of-directors-composition-best-practices/