The quality, effectiveness and usefulness of your board of directors, especially in early-stage startups, are largely a reflection of the founders’ actions, efforts and choices. The founders must invest in their board members to get optimal performance out of them. Here are some ways to do that:
Selection
As a founder, you bear the responsibility of selecting the initial board members. This task requires a thoughtful approach, which involves conducting extensive research on prospective candidates, recognizing the value of their previous experiences and understanding their approach to work. By doing so diligently, you can set the stage for a competent and effective board. However, a hasty selection process or a focus on reputation over substance during selection may lead to a board that fails to meet your startup’s unique needs.
As part of the selection process, founders should set clear expectations and specific goals for each member. This practice aligns everyone’s efforts toward the company’s objectives and harnesses the individual strengths of board members. When defining expectations, it’s important to consider the standout skills and perspectives each board member brings. Understanding their individual expertise will help you assign roles that allow them to contribute meaningfully to the startup’s success. By setting clear expectations for each board member, you create a platform for their maximum contribution, thereby fostering your startup’s growth and success.
Communication
Clear and effective communication helps board members align with the company’s goals and actively work toward achieving them. However, if communication is not clear or is poorly executed, misunderstandings and misalignment can occur, undermining the board’s effectiveness.
- Regular and Proactive Communication. Be proactive in your communication in between meetings. This ongoing dialogue keeps the board members informed about the startup’s progress, any challenges encountered and important developments. Proactive communication fosters transparency and trust, enabling board members to make informed decisions and provide relevant strategic input.
- Pre-Board Calls. Conducting pre-board calls with each board member is an effective practice. This provides a platform to discuss agenda items in advance, understand their viewpoint and clear any doubts. Consequently, board meetings become more productive as everyone is well-prepared and aligned.
- Timely Pre-Reads. Distributing pre-reads at least 72 hours prior to the board meetings is a good practice. These pre-reads, which could include financial reports, performance metrics or strategic plans, provide board members with enough time to review and formulate their thoughts. This ensures that the members come to the meeting prepared, facilitating more insightful discussions and effective decision-making.
Clear, frequent and well-timed communication is critical for nurturing a productive relationship with your board. It serves as the foundation upon which mutual understanding and alignment with the company’s goals are built, ultimately leading to a more effective board.
No Surprises
Walking into a meeting unprepared, especially when a challenging decision is on the table, can lead to a disaster. To avoid this, founders need to improve their political skills.
It’s important to lobby before any meetings where major decisions are being made. Engage with each board member individually before the meeting. This allows you to understand their viewpoints, anticipate their concerns and adjust your positions accordingly. Work to foster consensus around your proposed solutions, ensuring that each stakeholder feels heard and that their insights are incorporated as much as possible.
After building this groundwork, the meeting becomes a place to finalize a well-discussed and agreed-upon decision, rather than a forum for debate and surprises.
While group dynamics in a meeting can introduce nuanced discussions and possibly minor adjustments to the decision at hand, the key is that nothing substantial should catch you off-guard. You should arrive at the meeting with a clear understanding of everyone’s stance and a plan for moving forward that has been accepted by each individual board member.
Remember that the effectiveness of any decision largely depends on the collective buy-in from the group. Thus, working to understand and accommodate differing views before the meeting plays a crucial role in securing this buy-in and fostering a sense of ownership among all participants.
By following this approach, you can optimize decision-making and build stronger relationships with your board members, enhancing the overall efficacy of your board.
Run an Effective Meeting
A successful board meeting hinges on a clear, pre-distributed agenda and effective time management. The agenda, functioning as a roadmap, should detail topics, their sequence and allotted time.
Managing time respects the often-busy schedules of board members, preventing rushed discussions or overly prolonged meetings. This involves realistic time allotments for each agenda item, with more time given to complex or strategic discussions.
The meeting leader, often the chairperson and/or the CEO, plays a key role in time management by steering the conversation, preventing off-topic detours and ensuring balanced participation. Setting aside time for open discussion at the end can accommodate unexpected topics.
Efficient time management fosters productive meetings, better decisions and improved board dynamics.
To learn more about running an effective board meeting, click here.
Follow Up
If you promise a follow up in a board meeting, you’d better keep that commitment and have updates in the board members’ hands in the next two to three days.
Foster a Culture of Collaboration and Teamwork Among Board Members
Promoting a culture of collaboration and teamwork among your board members is crucial to leveraging their collective wisdom and driving your startup forward. This means assigning tasks or projects that require diverse inputs and ensuring that each member feels invested in the project’s success.
Consider creating spaces for teamwork beyond formal meetings. This could involve organizing brainstorming sessions or workshops to address particular challenges or opportunities that your startup encounters. Such initiatives facilitate the free-flowing of ideas and foster stronger working relationships among board members.
Remember to collectively celebrate successes. Whenever your startup reaches a significant milestone or accomplishes a major goal, ensure that each board member feels like a part of that triumph.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a startup’s board of directors plays a crucial role in its success. Founders should invest time in selecting the right board members, setting clear expectations and fostering open communication to get the most out of their board. By creating subcommittees for specific areas and promoting a culture of collaboration and teamwork, startups can leverage their board members’ collective wisdom and diverse capabilities to drive growth and advancements in critical areas of their business. With these tips in mind, founders can optimize their board’s performance and unlock the full potential of their startups.
