How to Conduct Effective and Efficient Board Meetings. A Primer for Condo Association Board Members

How to Conduct Effective and Efficient Board Meetings. A Primer for Condo Association Board Members

Board meetings are the backbone of any condo association, providing a platform for decision-making and problem-solving. However, running these meetings effectively and efficiently can be a challenge. It is important to run effective board meetings yet ensure that the homeowners that participate feel welcome and have an opportunity to participate as well without derailing the effectiveness of the board meeting. This article aims to provide condo association board members with practical tips to enhance their board meetings’ productivity.

1. Preparation is Key
Preparation is the first step towards a successful board meeting. This includes creating a clear and concise agenda, distributing it to all board members in advance, and ensuring that everyone understands the topics to be discussed. In some circumstances, the board may want to distribute the agenda to the homeowners as well as the board members.

2. Time Management
Time management is crucial in maintaining the efficiency of board meetings. Allocate a specific amount of time for each agenda item and stick to it. This prevents meetings from dragging on and ensures that all topics are covered. This is also important to ensure that the meetings don’t get derailed by topics that are not on the agenda.

3. Encourage Participation by Board Members and Homeowners
Encourage all board members to participate in the discussion. This not only fosters a sense of inclusivity but also ensures that decisions are made collectively, taking into account diverse perspectives. It is also very important that the agenda allows the
homeowners an opportunity to participate and share their feedback and opinions on association matters as well.

4. Effective Communication
Clear and effective communication is essential in board meetings. Ensure that all board members understand the issues at hand and the implications of any decisions made. This means that all decisions are clearly made and are documented in the meeting minutes.

5. Decision-Making Process
Establish a clear decision-making process. Whether it’s a simple majority vote or a consensus-based approach, having a defined process helps avoid confusion and ensures that decisions are made in a fair and transparent manner. Most boards like to follow Roberts Rules as a methodology for conducting board meetings.

6. Follow-up Actions and To-Do Lists
After each meeting, distribute draft meeting minutes that clearly outline the decisions made and the follow-up actions required. This ensures accountability and helps track the progress of tasks.

7. Regular Evaluation
Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your board meetings. This could involve soliciting feedback from board members and homeowners or reviewing the progress made towards achieving the association’s goals.

8. Clearly Written Meeting Minutes
The Secretary should ensure that the draft meeting minutes are properly recorded and distributed soon after the end of each board meeting. The Secretary should also ensure that draft meeting minutes are approved at a subsequent board meeting and also ensure the approved meeting minutes are distributed appropriately to all the homeowners of the association.

Conclusion

Running effective and efficient board meetings is not an easy task, but with careful planning, clear communication, and a commitment to continuous improvement, condo association board members can ensure that their meetings are productive and
beneficial for their community. Remember, the goal of these meetings is to make decisions that benefit the condo association as a whole, and this can only be achieved through effective and efficient meetings. For further information on this topic, you may also visit the Community Association Institute’s website: www.caionline.com

ABOUT CAI

​​​CAI is an international membership organization dedicated to building better communities. With over 45​,000 members, CAI has 63 chapters worldwide, including Canada, the Middle East and South Africa, and relationships with housing leaders in a number of other countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom. CAI provides information, education and resources to the homeowner volunteers who govern communities and the professionals who support them. CAI members include association board members and other homeowner leaders, community managers, association management firms and other professionals who provide products and
services to associations. CAI serves community associations and homeowners by:

• Advancing excellence through seminars, workshops, conferences and education programs, most of which lead to professional designations for community managers and other industry professionals.
• Publishing the largest collection of resources available on community association management and governance, including website content, books, guides, Common Ground magazine and specialized newsletters.Advocating on behalf of common-interest communities and industry professionals before legislatures, regulatory bodies and the courts.
• Conducting research and serving as an international clearinghouse for information, innovations and best practices in community association development, governance and management.

About Chicago Property Services

If you’re a board member of a community association in the Chicago area, you may want to consider reaching out to Chicago Property Services for assistance with your community management needs.

Chicago Property Services is Chicagoland’s leading provider of community management services for small to mid-sized condo, townhome, and homeowner associations, as well as cooperatives. They can help you hire a reserve study specialist and/or oversee your large-scale capital project.

To request a management quote or to request a copy of the 2024 board planning guide, you can email Salvatore at ssciacca@chicagopropertyservices.com or call him at 312.455.0107 x102.

By working with a reputable and experienced community management company like Chicago Property Services, you can ensure that your community is well-maintained and enhances the homeowner community living experience. www.chicagopropertyservices.com