Comments on: The Best Board Meetings http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:33:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: mod converter http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-24906 mod converter Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:11:32 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-24906 some tip about this issue are welcome and really sorry if my question is very simple. Thanks in advance Thanks again for your help. Your site contain a many useful information. some tip about this issue are welcome and really sorry if my question is very simple. Thanks in advance
Thanks again for your help. Your site contain a many useful information.

]]> By: CheenceHexmon http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-24676 CheenceHexmon Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:18:09 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-24676 Hi, my name is Tim. Just wanted to say hi to the forum, I been creeping around here for a while now, but tend to participate more. Looking forward to make some new friends. Ciao! Tim NY, NY Hi, my name is Tim. Just wanted to say hi to the forum, I been creeping around here for a while now, but tend to participate more. Looking forward to make some new friends. Ciao!

Tim

NY, NY

]]> By: Happy Birthday Return Path http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-18715 Happy Birthday Return Path Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:28:54 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-18715 [...] Fred Wilson’s post Presentations vs Discussions.  Matt took a hint from my post The Best Board Meetings and ran the entire eight hour meeting without a single powerpoint slide.  It was awesome. [...] [...] Fred Wilson’s post Presentations vs Discussions.  Matt took a hint from my post The Best Board Meetings and ran the entire eight hour meeting without a single powerpoint slide.  It was awesome. [...]

]]> By: Trackback - Free Internation Call >> How to make free international call http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-18053 Trackback - Free Internation Call >> How to make free international call Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:02:32 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-18053 ,..] www.feld.com is another must read source of information on this subject,..] ,..] http://www.feld.com is another must read source of information on this subject,..]

]]> By: Board Meeting Lessons From The Supreme Court http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-17679 Board Meeting Lessons From The Supreme Court Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:21:23 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-17679 [...] written about The Best Board Meetings in the past.  One element of the best board meetings is a prepared mind. This is the powerful [...] [...] written about The Best Board Meetings in the past.  One element of the best board meetings is a prepared mind. This is the powerful [...]

]]> By: Brad Feld http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-15598 Brad Feld Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:54:07 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-15598 You guys have clearly nailed it and it shows!<br /> You guys have clearly nailed it and it shows!

]]> By: Niel Robertson http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-15590 Niel Robertson Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:31:51 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-15590 Brad, I think what you're describing is partially a symptom of a broken daily communication dynamic between most CEOs and their board members. As you know Seth and I have taken a very different approach to communication than I (and i think Seth) have ever tried in the past. Its completely changed the dynamics of what we talk about in board meetings (which we actually have pretty rarely as a result of it). The quick summary is that if you're not constantly communicating with your board (and the board is not engaged and responding) then you cram a bunch of updates into the board meeting. I think in many instances board meetings turn into a horrible death spiral that goes like this: CEO has not communicated a lot of context about operation data to VCs until day before board meeting VC is forced to make platitudinal statements without any data or time to review CEO gets frustrated and decided to "leave out" 10% of the more delicate but unresolved issues at the next board meeting as they don't want to deal with the platitudes (e.g. one-sized answers fits all startups) VC has less real context at each board meeting Rinse and repeat until the board basically knows very little about what's really going on and then it gets tricky This happens even with CEOs/board members that start with the best of intentions. Its a cycle Seth and I talked about very specifically before we started the company and i think we've done just an awesome job of breaking it. This is largely in part to Seth's commitment to the statement "you can't send me too much email". There are probably days when he regrets this statement to me :) At some point in time i'll write a post about how Seth and I run our CEO/VC relationship as i think its been one of the best specific "let's do this differently" things we've executed at the company. There are many layers to this of course. Niel Brad,

I think what you're describing is partially a symptom of a broken daily communication dynamic between most CEOs and their board members. As you know Seth and I have taken a very different approach to communication than I (and i think Seth) have ever tried in the past. Its completely changed the dynamics of what we talk about in board meetings (which we actually have pretty rarely as a result of it). The quick summary is that if you're not constantly communicating with your board (and the board is not engaged and responding) then you cram a bunch of updates into the board meeting. I think in many instances board meetings turn into a horrible death spiral that goes like this:

CEO has not communicated a lot of context about operation data to VCs until day before board meeting
VC is forced to make platitudinal statements without any data or time to review
CEO gets frustrated and decided to "leave out" 10% of the more delicate but unresolved issues at the next board meeting as they don't want to deal with the platitudes (e.g. one-sized answers fits all startups)
VC has less real context at each board meeting
Rinse and repeat until the board basically knows very little about what's really going on and then it gets tricky

This happens even with CEOs/board members that start with the best of intentions. Its a cycle Seth and I talked about very specifically before we started the company and i think we've done just an awesome job of breaking it. This is largely in part to Seth's commitment to the statement "you can't send me too much email". There are probably days when he regrets this statement to me :)

At some point in time i'll write a post about how Seth and I run our CEO/VC relationship as i think its been one of the best specific "let's do this differently" things we've executed at the company. There are many layers to this of course.

Niel

]]> By: Pam http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-14836 Pam Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:00:41 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-14836 Even with self reflection, good intentions are often missed. I think you meant to say that you are the "chairperson." Even with self reflection, good intentions are often missed. I think you meant to say that you are the “chairperson.”

]]> By: Brad Feld http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-14820 Brad Feld Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:52:06 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-14820 Pam – thanks for the kind words.  Sorry for the lack of gender-neutral language – I find it very hard to either “alternate his/her” in my writing. Ironically, I view “guys” as a gender neutral phrase (I regularly refer to women as “you guys” – I realize that’s probably not politically (or grammatically) correct).<br /><br />I’m chairman of the National Center for Women and Information Technology (<a href="http://www.ncwit.org)" target="_blank">www.ncwit.org)</a> so I’m very tuned into this issue.  Given that, I find it interesting that even though I think I’m tuned in, my writing doesn’t reflect it.<br /><br />Food for thought on my part.<br /> Pam – thanks for the kind words.  Sorry for the lack of gender-neutral language – I find it very hard to either “alternate his/her” in my writing. Ironically, I view “guys” as a gender neutral phrase (I regularly refer to women as “you guys” – I realize that’s probably not politically (or grammatically) correct).

I’m chairman of the National Center for Women and Information Technology (http://www.ncwit.org) so I’m very tuned into this issue.  Given that, I find it interesting that even though I think I’m tuned in, my writing doesn’t reflect it.

Food for thought on my part.

]]> By: Pam http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-14818 Pam Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:36:35 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-14818 I read your post through the lens of non-profits and found that your observations are thoughtful, relevant and valuable. Would have appreciated more gender-neutral language in your piece, though, e.g. "I love these guys" and "the CEO has to synthesize this and decide what he wants to do." Conscious or not, these male-only references are at worst harmful and at best outdated. I read your post through the lens of non-profits and found that your observations are thoughtful, relevant and valuable. Would have appreciated more gender-neutral language in your piece, though, e.g. "I love these guys" and "the CEO has to synthesize this and decide what he wants to do." Conscious or not, these male-only references are at worst harmful and at best outdated.

]]> By: VC Behavior in Board Meetings http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-14485 VC Behavior in Board Meetings Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:18:09 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-14485 [...] was plenty of chatter about my post The Best Board Meetings.  One idea popped up a few times and was well articulated by John Boyd in his post What Makes [...] [...] was plenty of chatter about my post The Best Board Meetings.  One idea popped up a few times and was well articulated by John Boyd in his post What Makes [...]

]]> By: Running Effective Board Meetings http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-14443 Running Effective Board Meetings Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:30:14 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-14443 [...] centered around venture capital, I couldn’t help by notice (and comment on) a recent post by Brad Feld, a well-known venture capitalist, where he writes about how to run an effective board meeting. [...] [...] centered around venture capital, I couldn’t help by notice (and comment on) a recent post by Brad Feld, a well-known venture capitalist, where he writes about how to run an effective board meeting. [...]

]]> By: Brad Feld http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-14421 Brad Feld Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:28:05 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-14421 Brilliant!<br /> Brilliant!

]]> By: David http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-14420 David Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:24:16 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-14420 Every board meeting should have one of these <a href="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/04/basket.jpg" target="_blank">http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/200...</a> or else just good manners Every board meeting should have one of these http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/200... or else just good manners

]]> By: Brad Feld http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html/comment-page-1#comment-14412 Brad Feld Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:49:08 +0000 http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/08/the-best-board-meetings.html#comment-14412 There are plenty of bad VC board members.  And there are plenty of bad non-VC board members.  And I’ve certainly been mentally absent / disengaged from my share of board meetings.<br /><br />You are correct to put a lot of the burden on the board members.  A CEO / entrepreneur can set the stage but the whole board has to engage and participate.<br /><br />I’m kind of surprised that CEOs don’t say “no laptops, no cell phones, no blackberries” in the board meeting.  You’ve reminded me to keep my iPhone in my pocket for the rest of my meetings this week.<br /> There are plenty of bad VC board members.  And there are plenty of bad non-VC board members.  And I’ve certainly been mentally absent / disengaged from my share of board meetings.

You are correct to put a lot of the burden on the board members.  A CEO / entrepreneur can set the stage but the whole board has to engage and participate.

I’m kind of surprised that CEOs don’t say “no laptops, no cell phones, no blackberries” in the board meeting.  You’ve reminded me to keep my iPhone in my pocket for the rest of my meetings this week.

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