The Four "Ps" of Optimizing Advisory Board Engagement: Part 3: Participation

Kathleen Laurie | Vice President, New Business Development - Proposal Services and Support
Nate Wible | Executive Vice President, Managing Director - Medical Communications 

Effective advisory board meeting participation goes beyond simply gathering experts in a room. While securing the right people (Part 1) and preparing a thoughtful, goal-oriented pre-meeting approach and agenda (Part 2) are essential steps, they alone do not guarantee engagement. The true challenge lies in fostering active, meaningful participation, where advisors are heard and valued.

At Precision AQ Medical Communications, we know how a well-structured participation strategy can make the difference between superficial input and deep, actionable insight. This third installment of our Four “Ps” series focuses on Participation—how to create an interactive experience that encourages advisors to think critically, debate constructively, and contribute to strategic outcomes.

Participation: More Than Just Presenting

Participation in an advisory board meeting is about creating an interactive experience where advisors are actively engaged in problem-solving, idea-sharing, and strategic thinking. Too often, we see advisory board meetings that rely on dense slide decks, sometimes up to 100 slides presented without pause for reflection or discussion. This format not only disengages participants but also undermines the purpose of the meeting itself.

Successful participation means moving beyond passive information delivery to:

• Encourage dialogue, debate, and collaborative problem-solving
• Structure activities that stimulate critical thinking
• Use innovative formats to keep advisors engaged and invested

Our experience has shown that the most fruitful advisory board meetings dedicate no more than one-third of the meeting time to didactic presentations. The rest should be devoted to interactive discussions and activities that challenge assumptions and generate new perspectives.

Tailoring Activities to Objectives 

The most effective participation strategies align with the meeting’s specific goals. Around a decade ago, advisory board meetings often took a one-size-fits-all approach, bringing 15 to 20 advisors together for a full day, covering 20 or more topics. This exhaustive format aimed to capture everything in one session but often left advisors fatigued.

Today, best practices emphasize focused, topic-specific engagements, particularly in virtual or hybrid settings. Advisory board meetings are now designed to address one or two strategic objectives at a time, with shorter, more targeted discussions. This approach not only respects advisors’ time but also ensures that the insights gathered are relevant and actionable. By narrowing the focus, sponsors can dive deeper into specific challenges, allowing advisors to apply their expertise more effectively.

Designing Interactive and Creative Formats

Participation thrives on variety and creativity. Moving beyond the lecture format encourages advisors to contribute openly and think laterally. Here are some of the innovative formats that have proven successful:

1. Rapid Response Sessions: Advisors are convened quickly, in a virtual format, to tackle a time-sensitive, real- time scenario or problem solving and asked to share their reactions and This allows for immediate gathering of feedback and insights on time sensitive topics providing quick action to the issue at hand.
2. Real-Time Intelligence Gathering (using our proprietary platform, NOTION™): Advisors input real-time responses to questions, rank priorities, vote on proposed strategies, or even redline The data can be displayed live, allowing the group to discuss trends and outliers as they emerge. Ideally suited in a congress setting to obtain real-time insights to data presented.
3. Diverse Perspectives Format: Advisors are divided into small groups based on their area of expertise or practice setting and discusses a scenario from their unique perspective before presenting their collective insights to the broader This format not only surfaces varied viewpoints but also fosters cross-disciplinary dialogue.
4. Interactive Exercises: Engage advisors using interactive tools such as live polling where results can be shared throughout the meeting to further stimulate Additionally, getting advisors up and moving by participating in workshop style activities such as mapping out a patient journey, treatment algorithms, scientific storytelling, or competitive response planning can all be excellent additions to add engagement to your meeting while making it fun and memorable for advisors.
5. Visual Engagement: Bringing in visual elements or even a visual artist to simplify or map out key points and emerging themes makes abstract concepts more tangible.
6. Asynchronous Ad Board: Advisors contribute their insights through a digital platform over a period of days or weeks, allowing for deeper contemplation and more nuanced responses than a real-time meeting might
7. Breakout Group Activities: Smaller group discussions within the larger meeting enable advisors to delve into subtopics.

By integrating these diverse formats, sponsors can create an environment where participation is active, continuous, and grounded in real-world application.

The Role of the Moderator: Facilitating vs. Directing

A skilled moderator is critical to maintaining momentum and depth in the discussion. The moderator should be adept at:

• Drawing out quieter participants while managing dominant voices
• Keeping the group on topic without stifling creative tangents
• Synthesizing disparate viewpoints into a cohesive summary

It is often advantageous for the moderator to be a neutral third party rather than a member of the sponsoring company. This neutrality encourages honest, unguarded feedback, as advisors may feel more comfortable sharing critical perspectives with someone who is not directly affiliated with the client.

Experienced moderators are skilled at balancing structure and spontaneity, ensuring that the session remains productive while allowing for organic dialogue. This balance is crucial in making the advisory board meeting feel like a collaborative, rather than directive, exercise.

Meet the Advisors Where They Are

In a recent survey, it was found that approximately 76% of respondents preferred meetings with a virtual component. Advisors appreciate the flexibility, but it requires thoughtful adaptation:

• Shorter, focused sessions rather than day-long commitments.
• Digital tools to facilitate interaction (eg, polling apps, collaborative whiteboards).
• Clear communication of expectations and goals before the meeting.

To accommodate diverse preferences, some sponsors opt for a hybrid approach, combining live sessions with asynchronous input. For instance, a preliminary asynchronous discussion can prime advisors for the live session, while a post-meeting survey can capture reflections and ideas after they’ve had time to digest the conversation.

The key is to respect advisors’ time and professional commitments while still gathering the insights needed for strategic decision-making.

Participation Is the Catalyst for Insight

Active participation depends on creating a safe, respectful environment where advisors feel their input is valued. Demonstrating how advisor feedback informs strategy not only validates their participation but also deepens engagement for future interactions.

Effective participation transforms advisory board meetings from static presentations into dynamic exchanges. By embracing interactive formats, skilled moderation, and advisor-centric planning, sponsors can unlock deeper insights and foster stronger strategic alignment.

In our final installment, we will explore the Path Forward—how to translate advisor input into meaningful action plans that drive strategic initiatives.