Introduction
Technology is what we make of it, and that applies just as much to our professional tools as to the ones we use in our personal lives. Board management platforms are now widely adopted. The question is: are they truly being used, or are they simply sitting in the background as digital assistants? It’s understandable that many boards rely on these platforms primarily as secure document repositories. But they can do much more than that. As it happens often, the real challenge is going beyond the tool as a digital binder, to a driver for efficient board management.
The underutilization problem
You chose the tool, you went through the implementation, now everything’s in place but teams aren’t making the most out of it. Sometimes even the strongest change management strategy doesn’t suffice to really leverage technology properly.
Piling up board materials in one place, albeit a better practice than having them scattered, doesn’t guarantee better compliance or strategy. Documentation only makes sense when it’s classified, tagged, indexed, and, most importantly, stored with purpose. Board management tools now include sophisticated features that enable better coordination and strategic planning, but they’re often overlooked.
What else can a board tool do? The list is non-exhaustive, but we can consider providing clean audit trails, activity logs, board minutes generation, task follow-ups, and automatic notifications, to name a few. These tools can also highlight trends such as attendance rates, missing meeting signatures, or delays in approvals.
To avoid your software turning into a digital filing cabinet for PDFs and meeting packs, we have a few recommendations.
Thinking beyond storage for more effective board management
Having a tool in place doesn’t mean everything’s in order as we’ve seen. High performing boards understand their board management solution can be used in different ways, always tying back to managing meetings efficiently.
Centralized communication
One of the biggest pain points, perhaps the biggest across all industries, is miscommunication. When it comes to board management, it can look anything from long email chains to scattered meeting documentation on SharePoint. The right solution will enable discussion threads, link emails to meetings, and support in-app commenting. This allows all users to find what they’re looking for without juggling between applications. Furthermore, it keeps documents in the context they need to be in, and every comment or decision stays connected to the relevant document or agenda.
Governance workflows
Governance depends on consistency. Yet, board management solutions go underutilized to enhance governance. Whether it is due to a lack of product knowledge (although a good service provider should boost usage during the onboarding phase) or simply by mistake, future proof boards build governance workflows in one place. Resolution signatures, task reminders, and approvals can happen from the same platform. Not only will this help build efficient board management, but it also creates accountability. The result? A clear record of governance actions, automated, that supports both transparency and traceability, without the manual work.
Automated compliance
A last-minute audit request or a missed deadline by a day, both are classic signs of poor compliance tracking. Luckily a robust board solution can prevent this. Instead of relying on memory or manual checklists, General Counsel and Board Secretaries can automate compliance within the board tool. For instance, a Corporate Secretary can flag important deadlines and set a reminder from the platform. Each edit, meeting or resolution signature, or approval logged adds up yo a verifiable audit trail. This not only reduces stress around reporting but also builds a culture of ongoing compliance rather than reactive corrections.
Next step: use it right
Efficient board management is something you build; it’s not magic and no feature will just “make it happen”. Approaching your board management solution with the previous aspects in mind will help board members and board secretaries use the tool with intention (and hopefully consistency).
Starting small but smart is always a good idea. For instance:
These steps may sound very operational, but they’re all part of a broader governance strategy when done properly. When board members and secretaries use the board tool with the right mindset, they become more accountable, more efficient, and make better decisions.
How to choose the right Board Management tool
Before adding a board management solution to your LegalTech stack, make sure it’s the right fit. This guide walks you through key tips to help you choose confidently.
