Making Online Board Meetings Productive and Effective

making online board meetings productive

The quality of your board’s meetings depends on the amount of work participants do before each one. If the participants make the effort to prepare their agendas, they will make online meetings more efficient and productive. A well-prepared group is more likely to adhere to the agenda and make sure that they do not get distracted by a tangent.

It is essential to clearly communicate to remote board members what they are expected to do in meetings. For example, it’s best to remind people to mute themselves and only speak when they’re required to do so. This will stop people from arguing or leaving the conference without feeling heard. Before beginning a meeting the convenor must ask participants if there are any tech issues they require assistance with.

Include the rules of virtual meetings in the board member orientation material so that everyone knows what to expect before, during and after the meeting. For instance, it’s crucial to communicate the agenda prior to the time of the meeting and to follow up with the participants a day or in the morning prior to the meeting to confirm the details, provide them with the Zoom or meeting link to confirm, and remind them of any other preferences for meetings (such as requesting that attendees tune in from a quiet area to minimize distractions). It is recommended to include a placeholder for an executive session to every item on your agenda and include it at the start of the meeting to avoid confusion.