In this episode of Build Better Boards, Dr. Keri Jacobs, Richard Fagerlin, and Mitch Majeski discuss how board agendas shape the mindset and behavior of cooperative boards. They explore how many agendas unintentionally reinforce a managing mindset and share practical ways boards can redesign agendas to encourage more strategic governance.

• Agendas often become copy-and-paste routines that reinforce operational discussions rather than strategic governance. Redesigning the agenda can help shift board behavior toward a governing mindset.
• A managing board agenda typically focuses on reports, updates, and operational details, while a governing agenda emphasizes policy decisions, strategic discussions, risk oversight, and organizational health.
• Boards can strengthen governance by incorporating scenario planning, strategic progress updates, and discussions tied directly to long-term priorities.
• Effective board packets should highlight a small set of key performance indicators with historical trends instead of overwhelming directors with large volumes of reports and data.
• Directors can evaluate their agendas by asking reflection questions about what their agenda signals is most important, where time is being spent that doesn’t advance governance, and what strategic conversations may be missing.

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