How to hold a successful Body Corporate committee meeting
After a long days’ work, you look forward to going home to put your feet up and relax, only to remember you had, for reasons that now escape you, agreed to be on the Committee for your Body Corporate and the next meeting is scheduled to start at 5:30 that evening. Committee meetings, if not run correctly, can be long and seemingly pointless affairs. However, if run correctly, you will begin to see the achievements and gain satisfaction in your role on the Committee.
Committee Meetings are an important part of effectively managing your Body Corporate. As Body Corporate Managers, Pinnacle Strata works with your Committee to hold efficient meetings. Here are our suggestions for running an efficient and constructive Committee Meeting:
Useful agendas: The Chairperson and/or Secretary should work with your Body Corporate Manager to prepare a useful agenda for the meeting. If your Body Corporate has a Caretaker, their input is also beneficial in preparing the agenda.
Meeting documentation: Meeting documentation should be sent with the agenda for the meeting. This should include financial statements, quotations for consideration and a Caretaker’s report.
Meeting preparation: Committee Members should read and digest the material circulated with the agenda BEFORE the meeting. It is sent to Committee Members for a reason. Committee Meetings are for making decisions, not reading.
Start on time: If the meeting is scheduled for 5:30pm, start at 5.30pm.
Set a finish time: Start the meeting by setting a closing time. Discussion will be succinct if Committee members know the clock is ticking. Body Corporate meetings should not go for more than 2 hours.
Stay focused: A good Chairperson will make all the difference and will keep the meeting focused on the agenda items. If the Chairperson needs to ask Committee Members to be brief or even to be quiet, it should be done in a courteous way.
Be realistic: Circular discussions can arise simply because the Committee does not have sufficient information at its disposal. The Chairperson should be ready to defer discussion if more information is required before making a decision. The Chairperson should also be comfortable to delegate tasks to Committee Members to share this load. Obtaining more information can also extend to sourcing external consultants, even if this costs a bit extra.
Use technology: Use teleconference or web-conference facilities to include Committee Members who may wish to participate in the meeting but are unable to physically attend. This is not as effective as face-to-face meetings but it is better than excluding someone because of distance or ill health.
Purposeful meeting: There is no benefit in having a meeting just for the sake of having a meeting. Your Committee should meet as required. For larger Bodies Corporate we recommend three or four meetings per year but smaller Bodies Corporate may be able to confine their meetings to just one or two. It is quality, not quantity of meetings that counts.
At Pinnacle Strata, we have found that following these guidelines improve the efficiency and productivity of your meetings.
Written by: Duncan Lee