Does your organisation always run its board meetings in the same place?  There is nothing necessarily wrong with that as often it is the most practical and easiest way to run the meeting.  Occasionally, though, it is worth considering running a board meeting at another location.

One of the one main benefits of doing this is that it can break the monotony of the meetings.

Sometimes board meeting are very dry, boring and very much focussed on procedures which can result in board members spending more time checking their watch than the papers of the meeting.

A change of environment and different atmosphere can result in more engagement and interaction which can be important when discussing important issues.

Furthermore, having a board meeting in another location can help to develop stronger partnerships and networks with these organisations.  For example, you may be able to use the rooms of the local sporting club, a meeting room at the council offices or even a café or hotel that may have separate meeting facilities.

By having meetings at these locations creates an opportunity to discuss what you organisation does that may be of benefit in the future.

Overall, you may find that it is much easier for your board members to think more freely when they are outside the confines of the board room.

Most board members are volunteers who are giving up their time to assist and participate in the organisation and while they understand their obligations, a change of scenery can sometime add a bit of colour to what can sometime be a boring process.