How can I be a better board member?

The most effective board members consistently do five things: they arrive at meetings having read all board papers and reviewed the previous minutes; they follow through on every action they're assigned, on time; they ask the probing questions that help the board make better decisions; they make space for all directors to contribute rather than dominating discussion; and they're willing to hold a minority position while also committing to board decisions once made.

What are the responsibilities of a board member between meetings?

A board member's responsibilities between meetings include: completing any actions assigned at the previous meeting by the agreed deadline; reviewing the agenda and board papers sent in advance of the next meeting; staying informed about matters relevant to their role or area of expertise; and raising any emerging issues with the Chair before the meeting rather than surprising the board during it.

Is it OK to disagree with a board decision?

Yes — expressing a minority view is part of a board member's governance function. Directors should state their position clearly and with reasoning, listen genuinely to counter-arguments, and vote according to their view. Once the board has made a decision by proper vote, all directors — including those who voted against — are expected to commit to it as a board decision. Continuing to undermine a properly made board decision is a governance breach.

Five Tips on Being a Better Board Member

Sitting on a board or committee can be one of the most rewarding things you do — and one of the most frustrating, if you’re not playing your part well. Good intentions aren’t enough. The best board members bring specific habits and behaviours that make every meeting better and every outcome more likely to happen.

Here are five of them.

1. Show Up — Prepared, Not Just Present

Attendance matters, but physical presence alone isn’t contribution. The board members who add the most value come having read the papers, reviewed the previous minutes, and formed a view on the key items on the agenda. They can engage with substance from the first item rather than asking for context that should have been absorbed beforehand.

This requires that the papers are actually available to read. If your board’s secretary is still emailing agenda attachments the morning of the meeting, that’s a governance problem — but it doesn’t excuse arriving unprepared. Chase the papers if you need to. Review the action register from the previous meeting and know whether your own actions are complete. Arrive ready to contribute, not just ready to listen.

2. Follow Through on Your Actions — Every Time

The reliability of a board member is measured not by what they say in meetings but by what they do between them. When you’re assigned an action — a report to prepare, a contact to reach out to, a piece of research to complete — completing it on time and to the required standard is the most direct contribution you can make to the organisation’s governance.

Nothing damages a board’s trust in a member faster than repeated incomplete actions. And nothing builds it faster than consistent follow-through. Before each meeting, review your outstanding actions. If something isn’t going to be ready, say so before the meeting — not when the Chair calls your name at the opening review.

3. Ask the Question Nobody Else Is Asking

One of the most valuable things an independent director brings is the ability to ask what the insiders have stopped questioning. Why are we doing this? What does success actually look like? What happens if this doesn’t work? Have we considered the risk here?

These questions aren’t disloyal. They’re the function of a properly operating board. Management and the Chair should welcome them. A board that only ever ratifies what’s in front of it isn’t governing — it’s rubber-stamping.

The corollary: ask with genuine curiosity, not performative scepticism. The goal is better decisions, not the appearance of independence.

The best board members come to every meeting knowing the full governance picture.

Process PA gives every director access to the agenda, past minutes, current resolutions and outstanding action register before every meeting — so preparation takes minutes, not hours.

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4. Make Space for Others

The most experienced person in the room isn’t always right, and the quietest person in the room isn’t always uninformed. One of the highest-value contributions a board member can make is facilitating the full board’s participation — drawing out perspectives, checking that everyone has had the opportunity to contribute, and ensuring that dominant voices don’t foreclose discussion too early.

This matters most for the Chair, but it applies to every director. If you find yourself speaking first on every item, consider whether you’re leaving room for others to shape the conversation. If you notice a colleague who hasn’t contributed, a direct and open question — “What’s your view on this?” — can surface something important.

5. Be Willing to Disagree — and Then Move On

The hardest moment for many board members is holding a minority view when the room is moving toward a decision. Either they abandon their position without saying anything, or they dig in and the discussion becomes adversarial.

The right approach: state your position clearly and with reasoning, listen genuinely to the counter-arguments, vote your view, and then — once the decision is made — commit to it as a board decision. A director who continues to undermine a decision they voted against is not serving the board’s governance function.

Being courageous enough to dissent, and professional enough to accept the outcome — that combination defines the board members organisations genuinely value.