Online board meetings can be a fantastic option for boards of non-profit organizations which aren’t able to meet in-person due to the geographical constraints, travel expenses, or busy schedules. They can be challenging to run in a successful way and ensure that everyone is involved and feels included. It is good to know that following a few best practices will make these virtual meetings more effective and efficient.
Before the conference call, be sure you have clearly communicated all meeting materials with board members to allow them to read them and submit their questions. This will enable the meeting to be more focused, go faster and provide better insights. Mentimeter is a powerful presentation tool that enables you to gather important information from the participants through interactive visuals. This material will then appear in the minutes of the meeting, thereby providing an archive that can be referenced years further down the line.
Encourage participants to use their cameras so that they can see one another. This will keep everyone entertained. Set the ground rules to ensure everyone is treated equally. For instance the chair could request a raised hand to indicate that someone is talking. Also, they can request participants to use their mute when they are not speaking. It’s also a good idea to limit meetings to 90-minutes and avoid scheduling them during meal times so that participants aren’t eating in front of cameras.
Create specific discussion topics and allocate time for each item. This will give directors a sense of urgency in addressing issues on the agenda, as well as boost productivity. Focusing on specific topics will also reduce distractions during meetings such as chatting http://boardmgmt.net/maintaining-control-over-a-company-after-losing-majority-shareholder-support with other directors and checking emails.