When developing Board meeting sessions we ask our clients to be clear about where they want advice. We ask them to consider the questions they have for the Board; where they need advice; and how  an external voice could help their thinking.

In our work at Farland Group, we talk to many different types of business leaders — CIOs, CTOs, EVPs, you name it. During our discussions, we ask them to prioritize topics and security is often top of mind. There are many reasons for the importance placed on security —the threat landscape is always changing, hackers are becoming more creative, vast amounts of data make it difficult to predict attacks, and the list goes on.

It’s only early February, but we’re full speed ahead into our spring meeting season here at Farland Group. As we plan for the coming months, below are a few items we work on sooner, rather than later, when pulling together an advisory board meeting.

As 2018 comes to a close and we look forward to the new year, I find myself reflecting on some of our priority areas at Farland Group — both for the boards we work on as well as my own day-to-day work. While we concentrate on these areas throughout the year, we need to maintain the momentum we began on January 2. Below are a few things that are imperative as we soon start the New Year.

How do you extend the value of a customer advisory board beyond those who participate in the meeting room to the rest of your organization? Here are a few of the most common challenges we see, and some recommendations to tackle them.

During a recent council meeting, both our client, and their customers in attendance, acknowledged that it’s difficult to hear the negative advice, and much credit was given to our client for listening to the more challenging feedback. Both parties appreciated the openness of this type of forum, and agreed that if the candid advice turns into actions and outcomes, it’s a win for all participants.

Deeply understanding the needs and requirements of your customers requires an investment. Investment of time to establish strong relationships and trust with your customers; that trust will lead to hearing their honest assessments of your business model, products, services and people.

In our experience, Customer Advisory Boards serve as a very important qualitative method for receiving input and feedback on your strategy and goals. Clients share their experiences with products, services and their views of how well or poorly the company shows up in the marketplace.

Too often we spend a lot of money on events and programs without focusing on the post meeting follow through. Plan with the end in sight.