You know that feeling you have after a bad meeting where you are exhausted and unmotivated?  It turns out that there is a term for it: Meeting Hangover.

A recent article in Harvard Business Review reports a survey that shows 90% of workers have experienced this at least occasionally.  Research also finds these root causes of bad meetings:

• Irrelevance of topics discussed (59%)
• Lack of clear agenda or objectives (59%)
• Poor time management (53%)
• Lack of actionable outcomes or follow-up (48%)
• Unequal (39%) or low (38%) participation
• Ineffective facilitation (30%)

I can hear you exclaiming “YES!” after each of these!

Feel free to share this blog with co-workers.  Let’s face it, we can all do better in meetings.  Here are some ideas to help eliminate Meeting Hangover:

1.  Create Agendas with Action Items.  Attach an action-oriented question to each agenda item.  This will guide discussion.  Send the agenda out at least a day prior so people can come to the meeting ready to engage.

2.  Facilitate, Don’t Dominate.  This is not an opportunity for you – as the boss – to give a speech to the team.  The purpose of most meetings is group problem solving.  Get everyone involved and discuss ideas.  If you want to share information, send an email.

3.  Stay on Time.  Start on time, move the meeting along, and end on time – or early if you are done.  People will adore you for this.

4.  Build in Accountability.  You don’t need to keep meeting minutes, but someone does need to write down what each person agreed to do following the meeting and this needs to be sent out to everyone afterwards.  Follow-up and start your next meeting with updates on what people promised to do.

Meetings do not have to be terrible!  Make this your personal mission. Meetings can actually energize and focus people.  With the proper prep and facilitation, your meetings can be those that people look forward to.

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Reed, B. N., et. al.  “The Hidden Toll of Meeting Hangovers,” Harvard Business Review online, February 12, 2025.

1- Fearless Prioritization:  To serve on Higher Achievement’s board of directors, we are fearless in requiring FULL commitment. Serving this mission must be at least your #2 philanthropic priority to be considered for the board.  Another cause may be #1, but Higher Achievement has to at least be #2.

2- Intentional Cultivation: When I stepped into the CEO role, the board was ~12% people of color.  Especially given the scholars we serve (~98% Black and brown), staff composition (~70% people of color), and my identity as white woman, diversifying our board was critical.  Today, ~53% of our board members are people of color, two of whom are Higher Achievement alumni – including our board chair.  This took time.  We enforced our board term limits, established an Emeritus Board, and intentionally prioritized nominees of color who brought critical skills.

3- Comprehensive, Cohort Orientation: Early on, I underinvested in board member orientation, just spending an hour one-on-one. It was quick, but not effective. Board members tended to sit on the sidelines for too long. Now, we onboard cohorts of board members each fall, with a three-hour orientation that includes sections from each senior staff leader on program model, results and evaluation, risk management, human resources, finance, fundraising, and communications.  Now, board members enter the board retreat prepared.

4– Meaningful Meetings: We have to nix the “dog and pony shows”.  Instead of presenting only positive results, we share all the data – positive, neutral, and negative – and our initial conclusions and lessons learned.  Then, we ask a provocative question about the data and break into small groups to explore. Further, at least once per year, I meet one-on-one with each board member to hear about their board experience, their hopes/fears, and feedback for me.

5 – Regular Review: Every year, the board reviews my performance – alternating feedback from my direct reports and board members.  Every other year, we conduct a board self-assessment. This practice has led to meaningful changes to board orientation, annual updates to the CEO succession plan, and more democratic opportunities for board members to voice interest in board leadership roles.

While we have made progress, there is more work to do, including to immerse the board more deeply in program.  I hope my lessons learned are helpful to you.

The substance and timing of Board Retreats vary widely.

My suggestion is that you take at least one day every two years for an off-site with your Board.  I know some Boards that do these annually for a couple of days and find it to be very helpful in building Board cohesion and commitment.

The substance of a retreat may include a combination of the following:

• Team-Building. This can be done in so many ways.  Do a personality styles assessment, read a teamwork book together, do a ropes course, or just have some fun together.
• Board Self-Assessment. Do a formal assessment prior to the Retreat, such as the one from BoardSource and review the results.  Make plans for improving your Board’s performance.
• Strategic Planning. This may be done as part of a larger overall strategic planning
• Personal/Professional Development. Bring in a guest speaker to teach about some work or life skills we can all use.

A few other tips:

• If possible, engage a facilitator to help organize and guide your activities
• Get away from the office and – if possible – spend at least one night away. Make sure people can fully disengage from their “normal” lives.
• Allow for unscheduled time when people can relax together

Most important of all – make sure that you are clear on your purpose and that you have communicated that to everyone.  Start the day with reminders of the importance of your mission, your vision for the future, and how the purpose of the Retreat connects to that.

A well-done Board Retreat can help supercharge your Board and inspire them to make even more of a Mission Impact.

Join the club.

Board meetings are often viewed by participants as necessary evils, perfunctory, and filled with “blah, blah, blah” reports.

Here are some ideas to make your Board meeting more strategic, engaging, and worthwhile.

*First, make sure that you have a Strategy for the future!  The Strategy should include three-five specific, outcome-based goals that the organization wants to accomplish during the next three-five years.  If you do not have these, then call a time out.  Either add these to your current strategic plan or start a new process that includes these.

*Next, establish a norm of a strong committee system in which:

1.) committees submit reports in writing to the Board prior to the meeting,

2.) Board members are expected to fully read the reports so they do not need to be summarized at meetings,

3.) non-controversial action items are provided as part of a “consent agenda” that can be approved at the beginning of the meeting,

4.) committees bring action items on substantive issues for consideration to the Board.  Committees should generally include Finance, Governance, Philanthropy, and an Executive Committee.

*Strategy updates make up the bulk of the meeting.  The CEO should provide a report that includes updates on:

1.) results on outcomes (not activities) on each of the strategic goals, along with a report on what is being done to get the outcomes back on track if they are not meeting their milestones,

2.) any internal operational issues that may impact the implementation of the strategy (i.e., new strengths or weaknesses),

3.) any changes in the external environment that may impact the implementation of the strategy (i.e., new opportunities or threats),

4.) any action on strategic issues required by the Board.

*Keep expectations and roles clear.  The staff does staff work, committees do committee work, and the Board does Board work.

For more great ideas on developing an effective Board and running impactful Board meetings, check out these resources from BoardSource.

It takes some effort to develop a Board’s norms to this level, but it will pay real dividends.  A strategically focused, engaged Board can greatly enhance your organization’s Mission Impact.

1. Document, distribute, and demystify. Avoid the “DK DK” dilemma of board members who don’t know what they don’t know. Document executive committee meetings and distribute the minutes to the full board. This helps shed light on what goes on at executive committee meetings.
2. Examine underlying practices and procedures. Some executive committees operate as the last stop before the board. All reports and recommendations must first be approved by the executive committee. In practice, this converts the rest of the board into a rubber stamp. Avoid this.  Other executive committees serve as the first stop for exploring issues with the CEO. These executive committees serve as a kitchen cabinet where the CEO can think out loud in the early stages of an idea. They share perspectives, ask questions, and suggest additional resources but do not make decisions. Try this instead.
3. Provide access. All board members should have access to the same information. Not all reports distributed to the executive committee need to be distributed to the full board. But, if any board members ask for that information, they should be briefed on the issues and provided appropriate reports without hesitation.
4. Ask, assess, and act differently. Executive committee members are often blind to the perceptions of other board members. Seek input from the rest of the board. At the end of a board meeting, have an AMA (ask me anything) discussion in executive session. For more anonymity, conduct a board self-assessment. A well-done online survey will surface any issues that may exist about communication between the board and executive committee. The key to success is not in the asking but in using the feedback to do things differently.

Being board chair hasn’t changed my concerns about executive committees, but it has made me more aware of the importance of good governance relations between and among the board and CEO. As I think about passing the baton to the next chair and executive committee, I plan to test these tips at my farewell meeting by asking the full board how well I lived up to my own recommendations.

Not every meeting has the same purpose, but following are general guidelines for running an effective meeting.  Feel free to forward to your colleagues who may need this!

1. There needs to be a designated facilitator who is responsible for organizing and running the meeting.

2. The facilitator needs to set an agenda and send out a written version at least the day before the meeting – earlier if there is accompanying material to read.

3. Everyone needs to understand the purpose of the meeting and their role. The facilitator needs to bring some enthusiasm to underscore the importance of the meeting!

4. Everyone needs to come prepared. If someone is supposed to make a report, for example, and they are not prepared, they need to be held accountable.

5. Start and end on time. If people suggest off the topic items to discuss, put them in a “parking lot” for a future meeting. Stay on task.

6. Everyone needs to understand how decisions will be made. If it is a Board meeting, then there is voting.  If you are the CEO running a staff meeting, then make sure you are clear on how decisions are made.  Do you want consensus or do you just want input so you can make a decision?  Or are you going to let the staff vote?  Any of these can be fine depending on the situation – just make it clear.

7. Encourage constructive conflict. See this previous blog.

8. If the group meets infrequently, it is important to begin with a reminder of “why we are here” – not just the purpose of the meeting, but the greater purpose and mission of the organization; why what we are doing here matters to the world.

9. Minutes are not needed for every meeting, but if they are appropriate for the group then they should be distributed within a week.

10. Make sure that each issue comes to closure with action steps and people assigned to the actions. Follow-up and hold people accountable for doing what they agree to do.

See – this is not rocket science!  I know that your next meeting will be SuperFantastic and will allow you to make even more of a Mission Impact.

Here are some of the key attributes I have come to appreciate for Board Chairs after eighteen years as a non-profit CEO and many years as a Board Chair for other entities:

*Commitment to mission.  A focus on the impact the mission makes for others and an internalized sense of the mission’s importance is the foundational attribute for all Board members – especially the Chair.

*Role Model. Modeling the way for all Board members in every way, including being prepared, making sacrificial financial contributions, asking others to give, and carrying out any assignments agreed to with excellence is a key.

*Keep the Board Out of Staff Work.  Great Board Chairs I have worked with respect the CEO and are very quick to step in during a meeting when a Board member starts to suggest ideas that are micro-managing the staff.

*Encourage Constructive Conflict.  Effective Board Chairs are good listeners and encourage differing views on topics which are presented in a respectful manner.

*Hold Board Members Accountable.  The difference between good and great Board Chairs is following up with Board members when they fail to carry out their duties or complete a task they agreed to complete.  This helps the Board become a more effective team.

*Strategic Mindset.  Great Board Chairs look to the long term and are willing to listen to new ideas or changes that need to be made.

*Exceptional External Representative. The Board Chair complements the CEO as a representative to external stakeholders and must carry this out effectively.

These are my top seven attributes, but of course there are many others.  I am thankful that I have worked with many exceptional Board Chairs and appreciate that the Mission Impact they made on the organizations we served.

One of the difficulties in setting Almost Impossible Goals is trying to figure out how to communicate them to people who just don’t get it.  I encourage you to share this article on The Power of Goals with those who have not been exposed.  But, let’s face it, even after that – some people just don’t understand.

If that is your situation, then I suggest you not push the matter too far – depending on the audience.  For example, my experience is that some Boards do not really want to know what your “goals” are, they want a “promise” from you regarding the results you are going to produce.  In other words, they want a “forecast” – not a goal.  They don’t want your aspirations or dreams, they want to know what they can count on.  I suggest – give them what they want.

You can do this with complete integrity and still keep your Stretch Goal. Let’s say that you raised $100,000 in your annual fund last year and your team set a Stretch Goal for $140,000 for the coming year – a big stretch!  Now, it would be IDEAL if your Board understood the stretch philosophy and got excited about assisting with this big, bold goal.

But, if they are not bought in, then I suggest keeping the Stretch Goal quiet and giving them a reasonable forecast – maybe a 5% increase up to $105,000.  Then add “Of course, we are always working on ways we can do even better.”  Now you have an accurate forecast – which is what they want.  And you have a bold goal for your team – which is what you want.

By the way, if you have a loan or a line of credit with a bank – they don’t want to see bold goals.  Show them something conservative when you share your budget and make sure you do even better every year.  That will keep your loan intact.

Almost Impossible Goals can do amazing things for your organization.  But until we have everyone converted to the philosophy you need to be careful how you share them.  This will let you make even more of a Mission Impact – and keep your job (which is nice).

Invest More in Fundraising!

The theme of our course is “No Money, No Mission” – and I know we all agree with this.  But our student teams are finding that most of the nonprofits they have evaluated can do MUCH more to raise more money for mission if they devote more resources to fundraising.

More Staff.  There seems to be a reluctance to hire more staff and devote their efforts to fundraising.  Perhaps this is due to concerns for overhead.  If so, organizations should check out The Overhead Myth web site for ideas on making the case for this.  More time spent – especially on major gifts – can be a big payoff for most nonprofits.

More Board Involvement.  Based on the small sample of nonprofits, Boards can be much more involved in giving and asking for gifts – especially making personal asks.  Training, of course, will be needed for this.  But, we need Board members going out to the community to represent the cause and ask for support.

We are not going to make significant increases in the funding that nonprofits desperately need without investing the resources needed.  We simply cannot make more of a Mission Impact without the funding.

As usual, opinions vary all over the map on this question.

On one end of the spectrum, some people view strategy-making as the responsibility of the staff.  The Board should be generally informed – and certainly consulted if anything “wild” is being considered – but their main role is to ask good questions, and then approve “management’s” strategy.  And they should definitely stay out of reviewing annual operating plans.

On the other side, there are those who believe that the entire Board needs to be intimately involved with the entire strategy process – including a careful review of a detailed implementation plan.  Granted, some of these tend to be more of our smaller nonprofits – but this philosophy exists even in larger organizations.

Which is right and how do you decide what is best for your organization?

In my view, it is essential to involve every Board in three different aspects of the strategy process:

*Mission Affirmation:  What impact do we want to make and for whom/what?

*Mission Metrics:  What metrics will we use to track progress?

*Visioning:  What would the world look like if we were accomplishing our mission 100%?  What would our organization look like, ideally, so we have the opportunity to accomplish our mission as effectively as possible?

Beyond that, the next question I encourage clients to ask themselves is “How instrumental will the Board be in the successful implementation of this strategy?”  The more important they are to successful implementation – and that includes giving and raising money – the more involved they should be.  You can include the Board – or at least Board representatives – in the setting of Strategic Goals, SWOTs (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), and Strategy Themes.

As an example, a few years ago I was consulting with a group and a core of their Board was very involved with the strategy process.  They came up with an exciting vision and participated in creating some really big, bold goals.  At the end of the process, the Board members were fired up!  And this Board is experiencing a lot of success in accomplishing those goals – including raising a lot of money.  I seriously doubt that would have had the passion they now have, had they not been so involved.

Engage your Board properly with strategy and make even more of a Mission Impact!