There are laws that require open meetings in the case of a board comprised of elected members or if you are a non-profit try this organization or other public entity. These laws are often called Sunshine Laws or Open Meetings Acts and they require the board’s business be conducted in a public manner. The laws also grant non-members access to the meeting and, in some instances even to speak.
The member who presided over the last meeting will « call the meeting into order » when the board is ready. This is usually done by saying « I call this meeting to order » or something similar, using a high volume. Then, usually, there are two taps on the givel which indicates that the meeting has officially begun.
Before the meeting begins Make sure you have an agenda that is clear. The agenda should be concise and clear, highlighting the main topics and the key decisions that the board will need to take. Beware of putting too many things on the agenda or using an agenda from a previous meeting.
Distractions from new topics for discussion can eat up time and divert your board from the items on your agenda. Consider adding a parking space towards the end of your agenda so that you can put topics on the table which aren’t of high importance and commit to revisit them later or include them in the next meeting.
Ask for feedback from your board members on how the meetings are going and what you can do to improve the quality of your meetings. This will ensure that your board members are more invested in the outcome and engaged.