Online board meetings are an ideal option for nonprofit boards who are unable or not willing to meet in person due to geographical restrictions, travel costs or busy schedules. However they can be a challenge to conduct in a way that is productive and makes sure everyone feels connected and involved. Fortunately, implementing a few best practices can make these virtual meetings more efficient and efficient.
Before the conference call, be sure that you communicate clearly all materials for the meeting to board members so that they can review them and answer their questions. This will ensure that the meeting is more focused, run faster and generate more insightful insights. Additionally using a tool for presentation like Mentimeter, you will be able to collect valuable information from your attendees through dynamic visuals. This material will then appear in the minutes of the meeting, creating a permanent record that can be referred to in the future further down the line.
Encourage attendees to use their camera features so they can see one another. This keeps everyone interested. Also, establish ground rules that help everyone take part equally, such as the chair asking for a raise hand to determine when someone is speaking or asking participants to use their mute buttons when they are not speaking. It is also recommended to limit meetings to 90 minutes, and to avoid scheduling them around meal times so as to keep participants from eating food http://www.boardmgmt.net/how-board-meetings-different-from-other-types-of-meetings/ in front of cameras.
Set up specific discussion topics and time-limits for each item. This will give directors a sense of urgency to address items on the agenda and increase productivity. In addition by focusing on specific subject areas will help eliminate distractions that might otherwise occur during in-person meetings, such as chitchatting with other directors or checking email.