Should Members Receive a Synopsis of Board Meetings?
Phil Kenkel
Bill Fitzwater Cooperative Chair
One of the universal communication challenges of cooperatives is that member owners do not
understand the business environment challenges and issues facing their cooperative. While most
cooperative leaders wish that their members were better informed, few take specific actions to
address the issue. One possibility is providing a synopsis of board meeting activities in the
newsletter or periodic communications. This is somewhat common among RECs and food
cooperatives. There appears to be two basic approaches. One strategy is to summarize the
agenda items covered and reports received. This type of summary (often a bulleted list) might
list major elements of the CEO report, board committee reports and list the policies reviewed or
other actions. Another approach, and one that to me seems more valuable, is to provide a plain
English synopsis of some of the board activities. This type of synopsis describes the topics
which the board discussed and provides a high level view of monitoring, policy and planning
activities. This style of synopsis is a “fire side chat” on what the board has been up to.
The downside to a board meeting synopsis is that some members might infer that they have a
right to complete information on board discussions. There are obviously both business and legal
reasons to keep board room discussions confidential. The upside is that an appropriately
structured synopsis can help update members on the issues that are impacting the cooperative. It
can also remind members that the board is both monitoring current operations and planning for
the future. When members have a general understanding of the board activities they might have
a better appreciation for the board and even be more likely to consider running for a board seat.
Cooperatives are business organizations guided by the strategic decisions of the board of
directors and implemented by the management team. Members have the responsibility to
monitor the performance of their cooperative and to understand the challenges and issues in the
business environment. One would hope that informed members would be more committed to
patronizing their cooperative and in providing the necessary capital. A board meeting synopsis
is just one tool for creating better informed members. If you discuss it at your next board
meeting send me a synopsis of your conclusions.