Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Minutes of the previous meeting
Recently I participated in a board retreat and listened with interest while the facilitator extolled the benefits of using a consent agenda to create better board meetings This board had used such an agenda but I never really understood the benefits for two reasons. First, no one explained why we used it when I first joined the board. Second, even though items were on the consent agenda, it seemed as though we generally discussed each one separately, sometimes in excruciating detail. Since our board meetings were often three hours in length, I was interested to hear the facilitator's suggestions, particularly when she expressed her belief that good board meetings can be completed in ninety minutes and that this includes time for meaningful discussion on strategic issues.
What did I learn? First, it is important that everyone on the board understand what should be included in a consent agenda. Although it may differ, generally there are five items commonly found in these agendas:
What did I learn? First, it is important that everyone on the board understand what should be included in a consent agenda. Although it may differ, generally there are five items commonly found in these agendas:
explosion of colours
Sometimes we worry about giving candy or chocolate as a gift. After all, our intended recipient may be trying to lose weight or be on a health kick. If this is the case for you, then there's no need to go overboard - you can think in terms of quality rather than quantity. You can perhaps give a small box of just a few gourmet or luxury chocolates, which can be enjoyed without too much guilt. Quality dark chocolate with a higher cocoa solid concentration is generally recommended as a healthier option and you can even find sugar-free and diabetic chocolate gifts where necessary.
For those who are not watching their figure or keeping an eye on their health, there are some pretty spectacular candy gifts available on the market these days. As usual, the manufacturers have pulled out all the stops to ensure they continue to extract the money from the customer. And who could resist these luxurious indulgences?
For a start, how about a candy bouquet? Some of these look absolutely beautiful - an explosion of colours and tastes. Definitely more delicious than a bunch of flowers, although the 2 can be combined of course. Sizes vary so you can get a large bouquet if it's going to be shared, or one resembling a
Recently I participated in a board retreat and listened with interest while the facilitator extolled the benefits of using a consent agenda to create better board meetings This board had used such an agenda but I never really understood the benefits for two reasons. First, no one explained why we used it when I first joined the board. Second, even though items were on the consent agenda, it seemed as though we generally discussed each one separately, sometimes in excruciating detail. Since our board meetings were often three hours in length, I was interested to hear the facilitator's suggestions, particularly when she expressed her belief that good board meetings can be completed in ninety minutes and that this includes time for meaningful discussion on strategic issues.
For those who are not watching their figure or keeping an eye on their health, there are some pretty spectacular candy gifts available on the market these days. As usual, the manufacturers have pulled out all the stops to ensure they continue to extract the money from the customer. And who could resist these luxurious indulgences?
For a start, how about a candy bouquet? Some of these look absolutely beautiful - an explosion of colours and tastes. Definitely more delicious than a bunch of flowers, although the 2 can be combined of course. Sizes vary so you can get a large bouquet if it's going to be shared, or one resembling a
Recently I participated in a board retreat and listened with interest while the facilitator extolled the benefits of using a consent agenda to create better board meetings This board had used such an agenda but I never really understood the benefits for two reasons. First, no one explained why we used it when I first joined the board. Second, even though items were on the consent agenda, it seemed as though we generally discussed each one separately, sometimes in excruciating detail. Since our board meetings were often three hours in length, I was interested to hear the facilitator's suggestions, particularly when she expressed her belief that good board meetings can be completed in ninety minutes and that this includes time for meaningful discussion on strategic issues.
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