Online board meetings can be an excellent alternative for non-profit boards that are unable or not willing to meet in person due to geographical restrictions, travel costs or busy schedules. They can be difficult to conduct in a productive way and ensure that everyone is included and involved. Following some basic best practices can make these virtual meetings more efficient and effective.
Before the conference call, make sure you have clearly communicated all meeting materials to board members so that they are able to review them and answer their questions. This will enable the meeting to be more focused, go faster and provide more insightful insights. Mentimeter is a powerful presentation tool that allows you to gather crucial insights from your participants via dynamic images. The information will be included in the meeting minutes, providing a permanent document that can be referenced years later.
Encourage attendees to use their camera features to be able to see one another. This will keep everyone entertained. Establish rules for the meeting to ensure everyone is treated equally. For instance the chair could request an elevated hand to indicate that someone is talking. Also, they could ask attendees to use their mute when they aren’t speaking. It’s also a good idea to limit meetings to 90 minutes and avoid scheduling them around meals times so that attendees don’t eat on camera.
Set discussion topics that are specific and time-limits for each item. This will provide directors with a sense of urgency when it comes to addressing items on the agenda, and increase productivity. Additionally by focusing on specific subject areas will help eliminate distractions that may otherwise occur during in-person meetings like chatting with other directors or checking emails.