Making Online Board Meetings Productive and Effective
The quality of your board’s meetings will depend on how much work members do before each one. Online meetings can be more productive and efficient if participants are prepared. A well-prepared team is more likely to stick to the agenda and make sure they aren’t distracted by divergent thoughts.
It is important to establish clear expectations for board members who are remote on how they’re expected to participate in meetings. For instance, it’s important to remind members to silence themselves and only speak when they’re requested to speak. This will stop people from talking over each other or leaving a meeting without feeling heard. Before a meeting starts the convenor must ask participants if they have technological issues they require assistance with.
Include the rules of virtual meetings in the orientation for board members materials so that everyone is aware of what to expect prior to and after the meeting. For instance it’s important to send the agenda in advance and to follow up with participants one day or a morning prior to the meeting to confirm all the details, give them the Zoom or meeting link again, and remind them of any other preferences at the meeting (such as requesting attendees to tune in from an area with no distractions). It is also recommended to add an executive session placeholder to each agenda item and include this at the start of the meeting to avoid confusion over whether there is an executive session or not.