The quality of your board meeting is contingent on the amount of work members perform prior to every meeting. If participants are able to plan their meetings their agendas, they will make online meetings more productive and efficient. A group that is well-prepared is more likely to stick to the agenda and not get distracted.
It’s essential to communicate clearly to board members who are located far away how they should be participating in meetings. For instance, it’s important to remind members to silence themselves and only speak when they’re requested to speak. This will prevent people from arguing with one another or leaving the meeting not feeling heard. Before a meeting begins, the convenor should ask participants if they have any technology problems they need help with.
Include the rules of virtual meetings in the orientation for board members materials to ensure everyone knows what to expect before, during and after the meeting. It’s crucial, for instance to provide the agenda in advance and to follow up the day or morning before to confirm the agenda details. You can also provide the link to the meeting or Zoom to the participants and remind them of any other preferences you might have (such as soliciting them to tune in to the meeting in a quiet location to limit distractions). It is recommended to include a placeholder for an executive session to every item on the agenda. Also, add it at the beginning of the meeting to avoid confusion.
