Preparing for open forum board meetings

Some organizations may periodically host open board meetings to help foster trust and accountability with its stakeholders. In these instances, it’s important for directors to be prepared to approach with equal parts transparency and discretion.

In the January/February edition of the Director Journal, the Directors’ Dilemma column raises the question: “I’ve accepted a position on a board that occasionally holds meetings open to the public. How should I prepare?”

Partner Adrienne DiPaolo assured readers that “attendees are allowed to observe open board meetings, but the extent of their participation varies.”

She noted that policies often require that specific questions or requests to address the board are submitted in advance of the meeting for the Chair’s approval. That notice period could be hours, days or weeks.

“This practice allows the directors to fully consider the question or request and prepare a thoughtful and concrete response,” Adrienne said.

Access the full Directors’ Dilemma column here.

You can read more about our Board Advisory and Governance work on our practice page.

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Richard Coombs | Senior Manager, Marketing
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