Just did a teleseminar/audio ON BOARD(S). In the middle of the 45-minute session, I was doing a mini-rant on NO MORE ‘BORED’ MEETINGS. Mentioned that I have served on a number of boards early on in my career … and that I would never do it again. I’m a combination of ADD and ACTION-DRIVEN. Board meetings are bored meetings.

Suggested that everyone really shake up their next board meeting and make it a truly MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE!

Suggested that if you’re the hospital or hospital foundation board, you have your next meeting in an operating room.

‘Triggered the following from a wonderful CDO (Chief Development Officer) of one of the hospitals in the CHI system.

What was your most valuable takeaway on today’s call?

“NO MORE BORED MEETINGS … My next On Board Engagement is going to be in one of our operating rooms at our hospital. That is a fantastic idea and I love it. My board has been begging to get rid of the BORING STUFF we talk about at every BOARD MEETING. Thank you.”

CHALLENGE: Every person in the For Impact Tribe (and anyone else who reads this) needs to re-think, re-design and re-imagine their board meetings (so that they are not ‘bored’ meetings)!

3 Quick Ideas:

1. CHANGE the VENUE! (We just had a foundation board meeting in Arkansas up in the press box of the stadium with a view out one side to the field and out the other side to the hospital! It was awesome.)

2. SHAKE UP the AGENDA. Anything that can be read in advance needs to be sent out … and read in advance! The Board Memorable Experience should offer huge opportunity for dialogue, conversation, ideas and feedback.

3. BRING in GUESTS! Having anyone who has actually been served (student, patient, hospice family, etc.) guarantees a visceral, palpable response.

***You might also look at bringing in someone with name recognition (local coach, community leader, etc.) who has ties to your organization.