Here’s something to think about when starting Board and committee meetings.  It is recommended as a matter of good practice that in the case of a Board meeting, that one of the Board members (on a rotating basis) be tasked by the Board Chairperson to recite the organization’s mission statement at the beginning of the Board meeting deliberations.  Why is this important you ask? There are at least two reasons.

 

First, it creates more involvement of Board members in the Board meeting proceedings. Secondly, and equally importantly, is the fact that this practice helps to create a Board meeting culture of reminding those in attendance why the organization exists; i.e., its purpose.  It helps to set the tone for the discussions taking place at the meeting and for the decisions that will be made.  In a sense, it is a kind of tool to coordinate, focus, and unify whatever discussions take place.

 

Likewise, concerning committee meetings of the organization, reciting the organization’s mission statement helps place the committee’s discussion and decision-making in a context for why the particular committee exists at all; i.e., for the betterment of the organization, whether it is an executive, governance, fundraising, audit or any other committee.