Board meeting rules are designed to ensure that meetings are on the right pace, ensure discussion is equitable and provide a logical basis for debate on key business issues. These rules are equally crucial today as they were in the past, but they are more important when meetings take place in the form of virtual or hybrid meetings.
Board directors are expected to be prepared for every board meeting having read the papers of the board prior to when they arrive and bringing their own questions or ideas concerning the topics that will be discussed. Directors should also be ready to answer questions from other board members during the meeting. This assists in achieving the purpose of a board’s meeting, which is to determine company-wide strategies and to define how the team will accomplish these goals.
A director should raise their hand prior to making any statement or asking questions during a discussion with the board. Directors should only speak on topics that they are experts on or on questions raised during the meeting. Directors should not make long speeches about themselves or criticize board members.
The chair may limit the number of persons who can speak on a particular subject and close the debate by voting. Alternatively, the chairman can adjourn the meeting on demand of any Director. A board director could also use a point of privilege to address urgent issues that are not related to motions pending or other matters, such as excessive background noise or an emergency situation that needs to be addressed immediately.