It has been my experience in my years of leading very different boards that there are some things that make things run more smoothly. No matter the type of board, preparation, organization, and communication are key in having meeting move smoothly. I often send a reminder out to the board with a copy of the agenda and ask if anyone has anything to add. I also use this as an opportunity to get a head count for the meeting keeping in mind that without a quorum, there is little reason to meet. Once the meeting begins it is the president or chairs responsibility to keep things running smoothly. Every board has that one person who loves to run with a tangent. It is a talent to guide them back to focus and then move on. I have found that writing a time frame for each agenda item can help keep everyone focused. If I say that the meeting will be an hour, I will do what I can to adjourn in an hour. Unresolved issues can be tabled for further discussion if time allows in some cases or if not, table something else from the agenda. It is important to remember that if your want to have investment in the meetings you must manage your time well.