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Online board meetings are a wonderful option for boards of non-profit organizations which aren’t able to meet in-person due to geographic constraints, travel expenses or a busy schedule. They can be challenging to manage in a efficient way and ensure that everyone is involved and feels included. Utilizing a few basic best practices can make these virtual meetings more efficient and productive.
Before the conference call, be sure to communicate clearly all materials for the meeting to board members so that they are able to read them and submit their questions. This lets the meeting move more quickly, be more focused, and produce better insights. Furthermore, using a presentation tool like Mentimeter can allow you to gather important insights from your participants in the form of dynamic visuals. The content will be published in the meeting minutes and will be a permanent record that can be referenced for years to come.
Encourage attendees to use their camera features so they can see one another. This will keep everyone engaged. Establish rules for the meeting to ensure everyone is treated equally. For instance the chair could request a raised hand to signal the time someone is speaking. Also, they could ask participants to use their mute even when they’re not speaking. It’s also a good thing to limit meetings to 90 minutes and avoid scheduling them around meal times to ensure that participants aren’t eating in front of cameras.
Set specific discussion topics and time allocations for each item. This will give directors a sense of urgency when it comes to addressing items on the agenda, and boost productivity. The focus on a specific topic will also reduce distractions during meetings such as chatting with other directors and checking emails.