Spotlight on: Choosing the Right Venue for Your Board Meeting

Where you hold a board meeting is more important than you think. The venue you select establishes the tone. Proximity to the building encourages attendance and precludes complaints about the board's lack of good faith in scheduling of the meeting.

A gathering in a shareholder's apartment or a building lobby is much less formal than if the meeting were scheduled in a hotel conference center, church, or school auditorium, and therefore may lend itself to a more casual dialogue.

However, this may be an undesirable or impractical choice of venue if a contentious gathering is anticipated. If you anticipate a divisive meeting, consider holding it in a library. Although there's no guarantee that things won't get contentious, the atmosphere afforded by a library might have a calming influence over the gathering's tone.

As for the annual meeting, where shareholders are present, don't take comfort for granted. A crowded room without appropriate heat, ventilation, air-conditioning, or adequate seating arrangements is guaranteed to inhibit dialogue and increase tension. Acoustics also matter. If the meeting is being held in a large room, microphones are a must, and the board or managing agent should test them in advance to make sure they are functional.

Every effort should be made to procure hand-held microphones (in addition to those used by the board) to distribute among the audience during the question-and-answer period.

And never underestimate the power of providing nibbles: water, tea, coffee, milk and creamer, pastries, and even finger sandwiches. The last thing you want is  while people are waiting for everyone to be signed in.

Up next week: Presentation

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