How to Conduct Effective Online Board Meetings

Online board meetings are an excellent option for boards of non-profit organizations that are unable to meet in person due geography constraints, travel costs or a busy schedule. However they can be challenging to conduct in a way that is efficient and ensures that everyone is at ease and feels included. It is good to know that following a few best practices can make these virtual meetings more effective and efficient.

Before the conference call, be sure you have clearly communicated all meeting materials with board members so that they can read them and then submit their questions. This will ensure that the meeting is more focused, run faster and produce better insights. Additionally using a tool for presentation such as Mentimeter allows you to gather important insights more from your participants in the form of dynamic visuals. The content will be included in the minutes of the meeting, providing a permanent document that can be referred to for years to come.

Encourage participants to use the camera feature of their devices so that they can see each other, which can help keep everyone engaged. Establish rules for the meeting to ensure everyone is treated equally. For example, the chair can request an raised hand to signal the time someone is speaking. Also, they could ask attendees to use their mute when not speaking. It is also recommended to limit meetings to 90 minutes and to avoid scheduling them around meal times so as to prevent participants from eating food in front of cameras.

Set discussion topics that are specific and allocate time for each item. This will give directors a sense urgency in addressing items on the agenda, and boost productivity. In addition by focusing on specific subject areas will reduce distractions that could otherwise happen during in-person meetings, such as chitchatting with other directors or checking emails.